Jimmy – Tennessee « back to essays

I first was introduced into the construction industry when I was about ten years old. I watched my grandfather sit for hours, drawing huge floor plans with elaborate designs and solving problems for the environmental management contractor for the U. S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Office. I was intrigued that designing a plan became the blueprint for the construction of all buildings. My grandfather encouraged me to take a lot of math so that I could learn to solve problems. So, in 7th and 8th grade I began taking advanced math. My grandfather was in his early seventies, and decided to retired and start his own business. He asked me for help in a big project he was doing and I was ecstatic! Ever since my grandfather took me under his wing and watchful eye, my love for engineering and problem solving has grown. My whole life has evolved around engineering and using it to help people and my community. I volunteered the summer after my 9th grade year to renovate the convent at my church, and along with three adults, worked tirelessly for hours in the month of June to surprise the nuns with a new home. Later that year I was given an award from the Knights of Columbus for my achievement. I thanked them for giving me the opportunity to learn in a real life setting. This year, as an 11th grader, I have finished a community service project for The Children's Museum in Oak Ridge. For two months I hand dimensioned the 43,000 sq. foot building and drew it in AutoCAD 2004 so that the y would be able to receive grants that required them to have existing plans of the building. But my passion for construction and engineering didn't stop there. I have now moved on to a new and current project of building a recreation room in my friend's attic. We have constructed just about everything, from the 2" x 4"s to insulation, and now to cutting and hanging the dry wall. Now, with only a little over a year left before college, I have really been thinking hard about what I want to do as a career. But I thought to myself, 'I already know what I want to do. I've been doing it my whole life - engineering and construction.

I know that in any area of construction, team work is essential. I have experience in team work in my engineering class as well as on our high school baseball team where I play third base. I can use the engineering and athletic principals of creativity and problem solving to attack similar construction problems. I am very competitive and know that the construction business is competitive in meeting the future workforce and global economy needs. I will be instrumental in bringing this industry back to top market demands. I can collaborate with current successful construction industries and utilize my research skills to further my education goals. I plan to major in engineering with emphasis in construction and know that I can contribute to this nation's economy. The construction industry sounds like a nightmare business, but it is truly the opposite. First and foremost, the financial rewards can be great for a successful contractor. However, something more important than the financial rewards to me is the personal satisfaction of the work. After talking with numerous people in various professions, it was not unusual for one of them to say that they wished they had made a different career choice.

I have never had a construction business owner, manager, supervisor or a skilled craftsman tell me they wished they had made another career choice. They take great pride in their abilities and in their finished project. Pictures of their projects: buildings, bridges and highways are often proudly displayed in their offices. Building meets an innate, creative need of man. Both the process of building and the finished product is rewarding to builders. Builders must experience a similar feeling that an artist or a composer of music does. From my perspective, I see that construction folks work hard, play hard and enjoy them both -- and that's not a bad life to choose. Instead of living to see the future, I can't wait to take life by the horns and create the future, its only a day away. The construction industry is building the road to a better tomorrow and bridging the gap to the future.