by franz | Apr 8, 2019 | Interviews
How did you get started in the Trade? And what you did before joining the Trade? Organizations, School/ other jobs? I became interested in the trade in 2008 and applied to the apprenticeship program. I re-applied in April of 2015 and by August of that year I was able to get into Local 58. Growing up my family owned an apple orchard and we worked fixing and building projects around the property. I also did a lot of work for family and friends which included house projects and working on our church building. A family friend owned a construction company and I started working for him as an eager teen who enjoyed the work and seeing how things were made. After high school I went to Michigan Tech, and studied civil engineering for one year. After coming home, I started working as a courier for a law firm while continuing college classes at Macomb Community college. When I was 25, I helped start a search company in the real estate arena. About 5 years later, the company closed and I started working for another law firm for 2 more years. After this, I moved my family to Pittsburgh to work for an oil and gas broker until the price of oil bottomed out and I was laid off. What do you like most about what you do? I get to do something new each day and experience a variety of jobs. We get the opportunity to problem solve, which is fun and allows us to think outside the box and be creative. I enjoy expanding my horizon while...
by franz | Mar 21, 2019 | Interviews, Uncategorized
Victor Del Toro – Detroit EITC Apprentice 1.How did you get started in the Trade? One day I was working at a neighbor’s helping him build a deck. I noticed his work service truck and mentioned to him that my grandfather was an electrician. From here the conversation just grew. My neighbor is with the IBEW Local 58. He started telling me all about his job, the schooling he went through, the whole process of getting into the Trade, the benefits it offered, all the details, so I decided to apply to the apprenticeship program. 2.Tell me what you did before joining the Trade and/or assuming your current role in the Organization? School/other jobs? In High School I ran track and field and received a scholarship to a school in Louisiana. Then Katrina happened and wiped out the area. It derailed my plans. With the help of school placement due to the hurricane I went to Indiana University. Here I took general education classes and wanted to work toward a business degree. I spent two years at IU. With student loans and what it would take to stay at IU I decided to enroll in a local community college in north west Indiana. I worked odd jobs while going to school, not even really knowing if I wanted to still pursue a business degree. I met some friends who were headed to Chicago so I decided to go with them. Big mistake. It was a mess, a real struggle. I decided to move back home to Michigan with my parents and attend Macomb Community College focusing on marketing this...
by franz | Mar 6, 2019 | Interviews, Uncategorized
IBEW Local 58 Registrar HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE? Jeannette first applied in 1999 after her dad suggested she go into the trades. She did not pass the math requirements on the test, even though she was an honors student in high school where she went to a college prep high school. In January 2001, she applied again, in February she took her test, in April she had her interview. During this waiting period she was really getting burned out working in retail and quit her retail job the first week in June, and on June 26th she got the call from IBEW!! She made it into the program! 2. WAS THERE SOMEONE WHO INFLUENCED YOU IN THE TRADE? Jeannette’s mom and dad were both influential. Her dad was a carpenter by trade, and her mom worked for Mobile Oil for the corporate owned stations, where she trained franchise Mobile gas stations. Her father told her, “You need to have a skill no one can take away.” These words of wisdom have stuck with her ever since. Her grandfather was also in the union and was a home builder. 3. WHAT SHE DID BEFORE THE TRADE, SCHOOL? Jeannette was a retail manager while attending Wayne State University for one year. She wanted to be a geologist, but she knew school was just not working out so she decided to join the Navy in 1995 and did go through boot camp but did not make it. She met a Marine, got married in 1997 and moved out of state, was divorced and returned to Michigan. Jeannette’s life experiences working,...
by franz | Mar 6, 2019 | Interviews, Uncategorized
IBEW Local 58 – Business Agent HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE? My brother-in-law, who is a union mason said he would help me do some things around the house. Together we redid my driveway and carpentry work on the garage. I always helped him with projects around the house and learned. I love working with my hands. One day my brother-in-law brought over a booklet about the trades and the union. He wanted me to go into masonry. I looked at all the trades and programs, all the qualifications, including which ones got paid the most and said I know I can do this and became an electrician. 2. WHAT SHE DID BEFORE THE TRADE, SCHOOL? I was a youth counselor and went to college to get my Business Administration Degree. At age 28, I decided I needed a change from being a youth counselor and the opportunity presented itself when my brother-in-law gave me the information booklet on the Trades and how to sign up and I just “took a chance.”3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PLACES YOU’VE WORKED? I will never forget my very first job was on a January 5th in the middle of winter. Freezing cold out. I was assigned to the MGM Grand temporary Casino and was going to class at this same time with the IBEW. I worked with one contractor for a year at the casino and then moved on to an auto plant, then a steel mill doing big heavy industrial jobs. I’ve also worked at airports, oil refineries, schools, department stores doing a variety of jobs and many...
by franz | Mar 6, 2019 | Interviews, Uncategorized
Detroit EITC Apprentice HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE TRADE? I worked in the maintenance department at Lake St. Clair Metro Park about a year out of High School. Loved doing everything with my hands. My boss started giving me little jobs related to the trades, fixing things, changing light bulbs, etc. I worked at the park for 10 years and over time was given more and more responsibility in this area. My boss taught me, pushed me and really motivated me. He was a big influence. 2. WHAT SHE DID BEFORE THE APPRENTICESHIP? I went to Macomb Community College where I was striving for my engineering degree in Applied Science. I wanted to go into Aerospace Engineering. While in college, I also took a small desk job working for a company in this field. I didn’t like it because I wasn’t doing anything really physical. At the same time, I was in college I was also still working at the Metro Park. My sister-in-law’s dad suggested I apply for IBEW because I missed the hands on. I applied and was called a year-and-a half later. 3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I love all the on-the-job training I get and how willing everyone is to teach. It’s like a big family atmosphere and everyone works together. I love the physical labor and I’ve made some wonderful connections. 4. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PLACES YOU’VE WORKED? I started working in the dorms at Wayne State University, then to West Bloomfield Schools, Life Science Building in the Medical Community area at Wayne State, Detroit Diesel laying fiber...
