Dan is a proud Journeyman by way of apprenticeship who completed the program a few years back. He has also become an instructor and helps train current apprentices and journey workers in grade checking. Dan earned a degree in game programming, but as he said, “I couldn’t find a job because all the jobs in that field required me to have years of experience.” He then started substitute teaching to get by. When Dan heard about our apprenticeship program, he applied right away.

Dan says if you start this program before deciding on college, you get training while you’re making money. You can start advancing yourself sooner in life and build up experiences toward higher positions, and since it’s a seasonal job for the most part, you can go to college in the winter and pay for it up front.

Dan says, “The initial general construction training after being accepted into the program was intense and challenging, but it taught me everything I needed to go out to the field. You just have to stick with it because it is so worth it in the end.”

Dan has chosen to be on the path of a grade checker because he likes to have a challenging career where he gets to think creatively every day. He appreciates staying physically active, therefore keeping in good health. And as he says, even if something happens, he has great health care as part of the laborer’s benefits, and he doesn’t need to worry. He says the pension is another huge benefit to him because he can think ahead in life. As a laborer, Dan can retire as early as 50 years of age, and he won’t have to worry about income. Dan says, “This pretty much opened up the world for me.”