What made you decide to pursue a career in construction?
"My father was a general foreman carpenter at Hensel Phelps. When I was in high school, I had to do research for a paper about what I wanted to do. I was interested in construction, mainly for the money. My dad connected me with a couple of the engineers for the company and I interviewed them about their positions. I got some really interesting input from them and it made me realize I’m not the kind of person that wants to sit at a desk for 10-12 hours. I am more of a hands-on person."
What does it take to be a successful apprentice?
"You have to have a lot of curiosity. While you study lots of things in class, depending on your company you don’t always get the same hands-on experience with different scenarios. To be successful, you have to take that extra step to practice even the things your company doesn’t do. Practicing little by little will get you a huge benefit."
Would you recommend a career in the trades to a friend?
"I would recommend a career in the trades not just to my friends, but to anybody. This is a field where you are learning new things every day and it’s great for someone like me who doesn’t want to sit in an office or on a factory line all day. Not to mention, it is amazing to get education without the cost of traditional college. It’s something you can do right out of high school and there’s no limitation. The only limitation is yourself."
What's the best part of your day?
"I love sharing knowledge with the guys. Working for a big company, you get to meet a lot of guys that do a lot of different things. Sharing our different skills really creates a team environment and I love spending time with my team."
What's the most challenging part of your day?
"Finding the balance between quality and production. I know I do a lot of quality work, but it’s also important to keep up with the production side and find a balance between the two."
How do you feel about being selected to compete for the national craft competition?
"First of all, I’m honored. I can’t believe there are people from my company and on the jobsite coming up to me and saying congratulations. I can say I am proud, too. I know only the best ones go and just to be able to be in the mix with those guys is great."
Credits:
Created with images by Dakota Roos - "untitled image" • Barn Images - "untitled image" • Clem Onojeghuo - "untitled image" • lppicture - "tool carve craft" • skeeze - "teamwork team construction building build home men"