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Directory A-Z
On Still Getting Butterflies and Why Industry Needs OWATC
Links in this Interview:
About Coates Electrical ● Why I love my Job ● What I wish I had known ● Why Industry Needs OWATC About the shortage of skilled workers ● How I got my first job ● OWATC Electrical Program
About Coates Electrical:
Coates Electrical is a local company that provides electrical contracting services and is involved in a variety of construction projects, including Super Wal-Marts, schools, and churches as well as for chemical demilitarization, petrochemical mining, and natural gas production facilities. Coates focuses on automating and making plants more safe and cost-effective. The company currently employs between 135 and 150 skilled workers and was listed as the third fastest growing company in Utah in 2002.
Why I love my job:
The best part about my job is that I still get butterflies when I go to work. What if work wasn’t fun? It’s hard enough to get out of bed every day to go to work, so you should love what you do.
I love my job because it involves cutting-edge technology and is so varied. The companies that hire us are spending a large amount of money to improve public safety and automate, so we use a lot of state-of-the-art technology. That’s what makes my job so exciting.
If you love what you do, you will naturally excel at it. People often think that they have to go to college to get a good job, but if you find something you like and you’re good at it, the money and everything else will follow. You will excel at what you do because you enjoy it.
Success is measured in so many different ways. Money will always come up, but it’s not the number one thing. The most important things are liking who you work with and what you do. If you’re passionate about those two things, then you will invest more in yourself and create your own success.
What I wish I had known:
Had I known about all the educational and employment options available to me when I was a sophomore, I would have been five years ahead. I wish I could sit down with small groups of young people before they make all their decisions and give them a chance to learn about their different opportunities.
I received my four-year apprenticeship certification at the Ogden-Weber ATC. I attended school in the mid-90’s, and the classes had upwards of 97 people in them. Today, it’s a big class if there are 35 students enrolled. I got involved with the College’s Electrical Apprenticeship Employer Advisory Team because I want everyone to know about this opportunity. I was invited to serve on the advisory team in 2000 to help shape the focus of what students learn in the class. As far as I know, this is the only college that tailors its curriculum to what employers need. Other schools are not as flexible and don’t customize training to fit the market’s needs.Why Industry Needs OWATC:
The electrical trade changes so fast that by the time textbooks are published, they’re already antiquated. The ATC can make changes and adapt immediately. To be successful, a business has to react, adapt, and change. The College can see what’s taking place in industry and change to meet today’s needs.
There are many trades to learn out there, and the ATC would be a viable option for so many people. One of the benefits for students who attend the College concurrently while in high school is that they can get a “taste” of
several different programs. Students have the opportunity to sample different trades and find out what they really love to do. More importantly, students who complete their programs come out of high school and are employable—a huge issue for local businesses. The ATC and its programs are a big benefit to us because without the training it provides, we would have a hard time finding skilled people to hire.
About the Shortage of Skilled Workers:
Wages are very high right now, and it’s only going to get better as a result of our aging workforce. Many individuals are retiring and fewer are entering the field, so it’s a simple supply/demand issue. This is a great time to pursue an entry-level position with room to grow. More employers are hiring people and sending them to school for additional training.
With fewer people entering the field, we can’t take every project we’re offered because we don’t have the manpower. We probably turn down more work than we take in every month—if we had the people, we could do the work.
It’s a great time to enter into the construction field in any position—plumbers, welders, fitters. The workforce in these areas is shrinking while demand is increasingHow I got My First Job:
My first job was with Robertson Electrical. When I was in my last six months of apprenticeship training, I called Robertson every Friday, but they never had any openings. I finally told them I would call them the week before I graduated. I ended up settling for another job and didn’t call them. Robertson called me on the following Monday saying, “Hey! You didn’t call last Friday. We have a job for you.”
It’s so different today—there is no better time to enter the field because the opportunities are there and waiting. It hasn’t always been like that.Back to News and Events
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