Rainzel, GLTS Senior, Carpentry

It feels good knowing what I am doing is not only helping me continue to grow as a carpenter and gain more experience, but I am also helping families by providing them with affordable housing. 

My favorite weeks at school are A-Weeks, because those are the weeks I get to spend working on projects. They’re commonly referred to as “shop weeks”, and B-weeks are reserved for academics. Even on the most challenging days when I can barely feel my hands from working outside all day, I still enjoy what I am doing. I try to take all situations and see the positive because even when it’s freezing outside, I still get to learn something new! 

I am so proud of myself for completing the trim work on the door frame. With some help from one of my friends, we were able to finish the trim and it came out awesome. At times we became frustrated with how precise the measurements had to be, but nothing compared to the triumph we felt after we finished. It was such a rewarding experience and something I’ll always remember.

I used to want to be an architect, but realized my passion was for carpentry work. My long term goal is to join the union, after much more practice with some private companies. Carpentry is what I want to do for a living for sure. Although I am excited to pursue my career further, nothing beats being able to work with my best friends. The carpentry team at GLTS is filled with great people and I’m proud to call them some of my closest friends. It will be challenging to meet new people and form new relationships when I start a job, but I’m ready.