Once in a Lifetime!

Yesterday, my time as an apprentice at Local 26 reached a height I never dreamed it would when I began training:

I had the tremendous privilege of meeting President Barack Obama!! You could have knocked me over with a feather.

The President visited our training facility yesterday morning before giving a speech discussing job creation and our nation's energy sources. He was given a tour of the hall by our directors and teachers, getting lessons on topics ranging from AutoCAD to PLC's. He was delighted to pull one of the fire alarm system display's pull stations: "I got a chance to pull the first fire alarm since I was in junior high and I didn't get in trouble for it!"

It is difficult to attempt to describe the honor that we feel as an organization at having been recognized and commended by President Obama and his administration. What an enormous testament to the hard work of the directors and staff of the JATC---it's their constant dedication to developing the apprenticeship program that led to this exciting day!

We were additionally thrilled to have had several other important members of the business and industrial communities with us. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, and IBEW President Ed Hill also came to share in the activities of the day.

I am immeasurably grateful to the JATC for having been given the chance to participate in this amazing event. It serves as a huge inspiration to me and I'll never forget it.

I can't say it enough: the opportunities provided by this apprenticeship program are endless. One minute, you're sweeping the floor at the jobsite. The next minute, you're shaking hands with the President of the United States!!

Back to it!

I just returned to work this past week after being gone for a few weeks. I traveled to Port-au-Prince after news of the earthquake to help out at a school I used to work at in the city. It was an interesting trip and I felt very useful--amid all the chaos, it felt great to be able to provide solid, professional support in the form of electric work. I mention this just to illustrate the utility that I find in being trained in this field. The work we do is helpful to people all over the world, and I was happy to explore new environments with my tools in hand.

Getting back to work on the job I'm currently working on has also been an experience. This week really drove home for me how much of a career being an electrician truly is. I believe it is a life-long experience, not something you learn how to do one time and then you've got it. After missing only three weeks of work at my job, I found myself fumbling to re-center my mind and focus on speedy and satisfactory completion of the tasks I was presented with. Let's just say that there are a couple pieces of pipe that I hope nobody notices sitting alongside of the dumpster!

I'm looking forward to a focused week ahead and getting fully back into the groove. Weather permitting!