Carpenter's Apprentice
Description:
basic duties of cleaning up the shop and then helping select wood and tools for the jobs. as you learn how to use the different tools and terminology your duties become more. I got to the point where the carpenter would tell me a certain cut or groove and then go on to another part of the job and then you would place the two parts together to make the job go faster.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I was looking for a job that I could do while going to school and also during basketball season and this allowed me to work a week on and a week off. and also my mom had hired the carpenter to build her a new computer desk and cabinets and he was looking for help so that it would go faster and he could take care of a couple of jobs at the same time. i had always been interested in the carpentry field for my own use in my life. so it provided me with a way to learn the trade and be able to apply it in my life later.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
probably the biggest challenge I faced was working around my basketball schedule. I had practice every day and the time changed each week. so I talked with my boss and we decided that I would come in for 2 hours on the weeks that I had late practice then I would run from his shop to the gym for practice. so upon discussing my commitments and my desire to work we were able to come up with a solution that benefited both of us
What I learned:
thanks to the opportunity I was afforded to learn the trade of carpentry I am now no longer helpless when it comes to fixing things around my own place. I also learned the importance of time management and being on time and dependable in my job. the cool thing about carpentry is that if you messed up it took a lot to fix it a lot of the time you have to start on a new piece of wood. there are many lessons we can learn from carpentry you need to be precise and very careful when making the cuts. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to learn this trade and to add it to the many abilities I have developed throughout my life.
Excavation Laborer
Description:
I worked for Magleby Companies, which is a high-end custom home builder. I worked in the excavation department. I have worked there the past two summers, and would usually work about 50 hours a week. The job included doing all the different aspects of excavation labor, such as shoveling, grade raking, picking, installing pipe and laser shooting. It also entailed running machinery, mainly compactors, bobcats, backhoes and occasionally forklifts, loaders and track hoes. The main work that we did was digging for foundations, backfilling and compacting, concrete and rough grading and installing pipe. Although this job doesn�t appear to be extremely ingenious, this job is the main factor for me being able to accumulate money over the last two years. Even though it is not entrepreneurial, this job allowed me to make money in a very efficient manner. Also, at the time, I was thinking about majoring in Construction Management, and figured that this presented a good opportunity to have a glimpse into the construction business.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
One of the project managers is the young men's president from my ward. Also, the Chief Operating Officer lives in my stake, and is the father of one of my friends. They told me about an opening that they had, so I went in for an interview, and received the job.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
One of the biggest challenges that I faced was adjusting to the long work hours. I found it difficult to get used to working ten hour days in the hot summers of Utah. Also, I was concerned about "wasting" my entire summer with work. This concern was slightly lessened when I received my first paycheck. Also, when I would have a week off, and nothing to do, I would realize how much better off I was when I had something to spend my time doing. Other challenges I faced were mostly physical, but these were taken care of as my body adjusted to the working conditions.
What I learned:
What I learned from all of this, is the importance of being proactive in getting a job and actually working. I believe that the number one thing a teenager needs to do is get a job, and work as much as is practical. No matter how much a teenager knows about investing, and how to manage their money, it doesn't work if they don�t have any money to invest.
Spec Home Construction
Description:
The job opportunity that I received as a teen that was extremely beneficial was the construction of a spec home. My father produced the capital and me and my brothers provided the labor to construct the home. We built it during summer vacation. We weren't responsible for only the construction either, we were also responsible for ordering materials and tracking and logging all of the expenses of the project. It was a great project that resulted in much learning.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My dad and I were responsible for the idea. I mentioned to him that I would like to learn how to construct a house so I could build my own one day. My father had constructed our house and had the knowledge and capital to help in the project. We decided that it would be me and my brother's summer project/job if we were dedicated enough to start and finish the project. So we did some research and looked into the possibility and determined we could make money on the project, even after my father had paid us our wages, so we decided to give it a go. My father was responsible for the success of the project.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
We faced many challenges throughout the process. The first one was the challenge of time since we really only had four months to complete the project. We only had five people total on the project so we were forced to work long hours and on Saturdays as well so that we could complete the project. Another challenge we faced was our inexperience. None of us had ever built a home so we would receive all the instructions from my dad. When he wasn't available and we were stumped in our construction process, often times we had no one to turn to. This made us think and learn to follow the blueprints when we got confused. Needless to say the second year we participated in the project things ran a lot more smoothly. Another challenge was getting the supplies and materials on the job site in good time. We often procrastinated our ordering which caused delays in the process.
What I learned:
We learned many good things from the project. First we learned to work hard. We learned the value of hard work and also the satisfaction that comes through hard work. We learned to become more responsible. We could not bail out on the project or take time off unless it was absolutely necessary. This caused us to grow and become more disciplined and responsible. We learned how costly it is to build a house. We were amazed at all the planning that went into the project and how much all the materials cost. We appreciated our house more knowing how much our parents had sacrificed and paid to buy the home.