Keeping the Hospital Running Smoothly feat. William Woods

For over 23 years, William Woods has been a vital member of the Children’s of Alabama maintenance team serving as the Engineering Supervisor. He started as a mechanic in the Army, but once he left active duty began networking to learn about career opportunities at at Children’s of Alabama.

As part of the maintenance team, William and his coworkers ensure that everything at Children’s of Alabama is running smoothly. Part of that job means working on HVAC equipment, changing filters and belts, fixing sinks, and just about anything else related to the hospital’s maintenance.

Here William shares what he loves about his job and why he continues to do it year after year.

What do you think makes Children’s of Alabama a special place to work?

“What makes working at a pediatric hospital so special to me are the friendships and the bonds that you create with the patients and other employees. Patients will call and let us know if their room is too hot or too cold, so we’ll go up and fix it for them and make them more comfortable and relaxed. A lot of times these families come in late and they’re tired,  they just want to watch TV and relax, so we get there as quick as we can to get the problem resolved.

It’s important to build relationships with the staff and nurses, so they can call us directly. When we provide quality service for them, that helps them provide quality service to the patients.”

Why do you like coming to work every day?

“A lot of the older guys on the maintenance team have been here for years, so we’ve been working together for a really long time. Those friendships are the reason I keep coming back and the reason I love going to work every day. There’s a sense of fellowship on the floors between the nurses and the maintenance staff..

You can’t beat the fellowship we have, and nothing is better than helping these kids and seeing these kids heal and get stronger. The way I look at it is, when my team gives their best, the patients and families will have a better experience.

Why do you enjoy working the night shift? 

“Working the night shift is amazing. I never have to worry about having to leave early to pick my daughter up from school or anything like that because I’m home when that happens. Since I started night shift I’ve been able to have lunch with my wife every day and make sure that my kids are taken care of. I couldn’t do that during the day shift. I have the ability to take my mom breakfast and do a lot of stuff I couldn’t do before.”

If you’re interested in joining the Children’s of Alabama maintenance team, submit your resume and apply today!