Using temporary employment as a doorway into a career in the skilled trades

February 3, 2021

Interested in a career in skilled trades but don’t know how to get started?

A temp agency may be just the thing.

At least that’s what Mike Baxter’s thinking.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Mike never thought much about what he wanted to do when he “grew up.” “My dad just said, ‘I don’t care whatever it is you end up doing, but whatever you do be the master of it.’ That stuck with me.”

It’s a long trip to master carpenter, no doubt—but Mike’s taken the first step at age 22. He answered a job ad for a carpenter’s helper—not realizing that the ad was posted by Great Lakes Skilled Trades. (To be honest, he wasn’t even sure what a skilled trades staffing agency was!) Mike came to Great Lakes Skilled Trades after a stint as a construction laborer in Texas. It wasn’t the greatest job in the world—but it gave him a taste for carpentry.

And he loved it.

Your attitude will set you apart

Steve Dubicki, director of sales with Great Lakes Skilled Trades, was impressed with Mike’s enthusiasm about construction when he walked into the branch in Grand Rapids five months into the pandemic.

“He had the perfect resume for getting started in carpentry temp work. We ask for construction experience—but we’re not super strict about what that experience needs to be. Attitude is the main thing. With the right attitude, you can build on even rudimentary experience with temporary assignments.”

For Mike’s first assignment, Great Lakes Skilled Trades sent him to “help out” at local contractor’s effort to remodel a 100-year-old building in Grand Rapids into a local architectural firm.

Basically, the job consisted of screwing together 2-by-4s to create frames/forms as placeholders for windows—plus general cleanup. Beyond that, just doing whatever ever needed doing.

Nothing overly glamorous, but Mike was energized.

“I’ve always enjoyed building things, whether that be something important or just playing around,” Mike said. “Hell, I just built my own bluetooth speaker at home.”

Step 2—catch the eye of the foreman

The foreman, Don, liked what he was seeing, so he took Mike under his wing.

After performing well on that first assignment, the contractor used him on five subsequent jobs, each one giving Mike a glimpse into a new facet of the fundamentals of carpentry.

“Don kept showing Mike a little bit more, a little bit more,” Steve said. “Blocking. Punch lists. Framing. You could see the excitement on Mike’s face.”

Now Mike’s starting to like the idea of a career as a carpenter.

“I’m near to pulling the trigger and going for it. It’s a lot of fun—all of it,” Mike said. “My current job is cleaning grout out of a restaurant floor, but if you don’t do your best with every job, what are you even there for? Don’t work simply for the paychecks. Do a job you can be proud of.”

First step toward master carpenter

Steve has no doubt Mike will make an awesome carpenter—and, yes, probably someday a master.

“The beauty of construction is there are so many great paths to take,” Steve said. “Somebody could start in residential carpentry and move on to commercial and then industrial or do whichever path they’d like to take. You have people who start their own businesses, people who find niche markets like staging for theme parks, and many others.”

Bottomline, don’t bet against Mike.

“You can make a lot of money as a carpenter, but if you’re working just for the money, you could end up spending your life doing things you don’t like doing, which is stupid. Better to have a short life full of what you love doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.”

Hooray for Mike! But what about women? Can they use temporary assignments as a doorway into the trades? Check out: Women make awesome skilled tradespeople.

Okay, you’re in the industry. What are your options? Check out:

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A group of construction workers wearing hard hats and safety vests are smiling.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Urban Commercial Construction

March 27, 2024

Urban commercial construction brings a whole set of challenges that contractors in the suburbs and rural areas never have to consider. But revitalization is extremely important for urban cores to survive and thrive, so these projects can be quite lucrative. Here are some common difficulties, along with tips to overcome them and remain on good terms with the neighbors. Tight Spaces In urban areas, there simply isn’t as much space to move around. You might have difficulty getting some of your heavy machinery to fit, or your subcontractors could be trying to paint an apartment the size of an average broom closet. Rise to the challenge by thinking outside the box. Carefully survey the entire space before you get started, and develop a detailed project plan in advance. Be sure to include entry and egress routes, alternative ways of getting things done, and even subcontractor schedules that minimize the number of people working in the same space at the same time. Local Regulations Many urban areas have byzantine construction regulations that are confusing and hard to follow. Take the time to research these regulations and understand what you need to do. Then, boil it all down into a simple, easy-to-read document that you distribute to everyone involved. Get to know the local authorities and find someone whom you can call whenever you have questions or concerns. Make sure your team members are ready to pivot if you find out that you missed or misinterpreted something significant. Always have a backup plan. Community Engagement Transparency can go a long way toward getting the local community on your side. Let people know what you’re working on and how it will benefit them. Explain why the project is happening, how long it will take, and whether it will impact their costs (such as taxes). If you’re redeveloping a historic building, be especially sensitive to the concerns of preservationists and meet with them separately to explain your plans. Noise Control You won’t endear yourself to the local community if you’re making a lot of noise when residents are trying to sleep. And remember, even if you’re working on an office building, there could be luxury apartments right next door. Use sound baffling measures to reduce noise. Whenever possible, work during daylight hours. Minimizing Disruptions No matter how careful you are, urban commercial construction projects are inherently disruptive to the neighborhood. But you can mitigate this with careful planning. Try not to block streets during morning or evening rush hours. Be considerate of any upcoming local events. Do your best not to interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic patterns. When you do need to create a blockage, be sure to put up signage and work as quickly as you can without compromising safety. Need a Skilled Trade Professional? At Great Lakes Skilled Trades, we specialize in connecting contractors with professionals in the skilled trades throughout the Great Lakes region. If you need a skilled tradesperson, learn more about our services, and then contact us today!