Jonathan, GLTS Senior, Carpentry
Before I started here I had only used a few tools. Now I can use a jig saw, a table saw, a regular saw. I learned how to use all of those here. I feel like I can do anything now.
Building a house is complicated. You can’t just pick out what you need and plug it in, you need to make sure everything is right before you put it together. We started freshman year building a miniature house. Now look at this duplex we are building. The hardest thing for me to learn has been nailing plywood—you’ve got to be really careful.
Our teacher is a cool guy. He’s strict because he wants the best for you. He wants us to do our best work at all times. If he sees you slacking he tells you to pick it up. He also teaches us from his own mistakes. He lost a finger when he was younger and makes sure he teaches us how to work safe.
It’s hard working in bad weather—especially in the snow. I would rather work in the rain than the snow because I don’t like the cold. I think I would like to be a finishing carpenter—working inside buildings and installing cabinets. I’ve helped my uncle building counters and I liked that.
