Success Story
Stephen
Stephen Alexander knew he liked working in the construction trades. What he didn’t like was the inconsistency of his jobs.
Since graduating high school, Alexander worked in a variety of roles: electrician’s helper, painter, roofer, carpenter and drywaller. But he found the peaks of working and the valleys of getting laid off during winter months difficult to manage.
He’d just gotten laid off from an electrician’s job when he noticed an ad for BY Training. At first, he was hesitant, but after the BY navigator explained he’d get paid for the work experience, he registered for the BY Bootcamp and never looked back.
“In just three weeks, I got my OSHA 30 certification, and I’m still using it today,” he said.
The class helped him create his first resume, which gave him more confidence. And at the end-of-class job fair, he made a connection that led to being hired by the Heat & Frost Insulators Local 18.
Though he felt the Local 18 union membership was super supportive in helping young workers like him succeed, he recently decided to switch to the Plumbers, Steamfitters & HVACR Service Technicians Local 440, to improve his earning potential.
He’s earning $27.50 an hour working for North Mechanical to help build the Lilly Medicine Foundry in Boone County. One day a week he goes to the union hall for class.
He’s pretty confident he won’t get laid off this winter because the project he’s on is so big. “Even if I do, the union hall will do their best to put me with another contract,” he said.
“This is the best job I’ve ever had in my life.”
As an incentive, workers get $100 a day to show up on the job site on top of the hourly wage. “It just shows up on our check at the end of the week,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
Stories like Stephen’s wouldn’t be possible without support from Lilly Endowment – Thank you!