Thanks Dean for the info about North Bennet Street accepting GI benefits. I had told, and in fact, always tell anyone asking about becoming a piano tech, about NBSS. After your post, I looked into it on their website, and it does seem encouraging. It does mean he will be delaying long term plans to move to Arkansas, but if he and his family are ok with that, it may well be worth it. I let him know, and he plans to check into it next week, along with other possibilities that others have suggested to get started while still in service.
Perhaps no one cares, but I didn't just leap into SkillBridge. A number of steps led me to this point, whether or not I ultimately end up working with this applicant.
I have been at Northern Illinois University since 1983 in one capacity or another, and plan to end my tenure in the summer of 2028, so 45 years. Four years ago, when I was thinking about how I want this to end, the faculty asked me to teach an Intro to piano tech class at NIU. I thought they were crazy and needed to lay down and rethink it, but ultimately said yes. There was a delay after I fell and broke half of my body, but ultimately started that class. This required writing class notes, and lesson plans for each week. A donor agreed to fund my teaching salary plus a bit for parts and jigs needed, and I started letting other techs know I am doing this. Then things got interesting, as former students contacted me for either in person or virtual help and advice. I'm getting some money for teaching so I thought why not. I was then contacted by an Air Force captain who has a music degree, wants to live in the area near family, and had learned how to tune and do basic regulation, from two PTG members near his current base. It took nearly two years to get approved by the Department of Defense, get THOSE lesson plans approved, etc, but that individual starts next week for 3.5 months full time. He knows the basics of what to do,has tools, so what I can give him is the opportunity to practice and expand what he knows. Further, since he will live about 30 miles away from Dekalb, I can continue to help him once SkillBridge is done.
Once a program is approved on SkillBridge, the posting goes live and can be seen by any service member nearing the end of their time of service. I have only committed to taking one applicant per year, so I don't HAVE to take on the service member from NY, but he seems keen and is obviously quite smart, so I think if he starts now with something online, hopefully with some personal mentoring, he can come, learn a lot beginning next April, and then go on to Arkansas, where he will need to continue to learn,( don't we all), but I can also help some with that. That's how I got involved. IF he can work out something with GI benefits to pay for NBSS, that would be great. If not, hopefully one of the other options works out, and then he'll spend three months with me. ( the amount of time approved varies based on rank, and each service calculates it differently, apparently. If anyone wants to ask questions about SkillBridge, I'm happy to answer maybe off the CAUT list so as to not bore anyone, or the phone works too. I think it is a pretty cool program. I also think we need to encourage new piano tech candidates.
David Graham
Graham Piano Service, Inc.
512 S. Main St.
Sycamore IL 60178
815-353-5450
Original Message:
Sent: 7/4/2026 8:23:00 AM
From: Dean Reyburn
Subject: RE: Mentor needed in upstate NY
My recommendation is to consider North Bennet Street School. I know they take the GI bill money - that will probably cover most or all of the cost. That's the best training around if he can afford a year.
-Dean
Original Message:
Sent: 7/3/2026 10:30:00 AM
From: David Skolnik
Subject: RE: Mentor needed in upstate NY
I'm sorry. It may be the heat getting to me, but this has too many moveable parts. He's a marine in NY; you're in Illinois. You're "in discussion" with him. ? Somehow, he knows that he wants to use his military benefit to learn to become a piano tuner. ? Why? From whence cometh this inspiration? What does his being able to read and play music have to do with tuning? If he were going to do some sort of formal on-line course, would he have the necessary internet/phone access or be allowed any of the requisite tools? If trying to acquire tuning skills, would he be by-passing aural and going straight to ETD?
What, exactly, would the purpose/function of a local mentor be? Would 'Gain' be permitted to travel off-base to one of the shops in the general vicinity? In what capacity would he work with/for you at NIU? Are you aware of any previous coverage of this training by Skillbridge?
------------------------------
David Skolnik [RPT]
Hastings-on-Hudson NY
(917) 589-2625
------------------------------