One of the most important decisions high school-age students, and young men and women in general, have to make is how to meet and prepare for the ever-increasing challenges and demands for their future, place and stature in society after leaving the security of the family.
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| Ryan and Andy complete a project for Advanced Studies in Masonry. |
While there is a wide range of options and possibilities for planning for the future, often the available opportunities are more limited. The hard reality is that not all choices of opportunities are readily available or even suitable for everybody; other times, special individual circumstances or serendipitous chances present unanticipated opportunities.
I want to illustrate through my own personal experience how circumstances can influence and define career opportunities for the future.
Being the son of a masonry contractor, I have always had a keen interest in building things. Even at an early age I knew what I wanted to do, what career I wanted to pursue in life. A career in masonry was not an option it was like a sacred family tradition. I started working with my dad after school hours and during summer vacation when I was barely ten years old. At first, he’d let me lay brick on part of a building where the lack of craftsmanship was neither apparent nor of much consequence. One glance from my dad’s watchful eyes in my direction always told me if I met his exacting standards or if I failed to measure up to his expectations.
By the time I was fifteen, I was working alongside with his most experienced and skillful masons. I was beginning to think that I‘ve finally made it to the “big leagues” until my dad impressed it on me that a master mason must have other qualities besides the professional skill to build a building, following plans and specifications.
He was not just my dad, but my mentor, my role model who not only taught me the professional skills to be a quality mason, but he made me realize that regardless how glamorous or how mundane a person’s career is, he/she must like –virtually to the point of passion– what he/she is doing, to be really good at it; that people should have pride in their work and derive a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction upon completing a job.
My career as a brick mason has evolved from my specific circumstances (being the son of a masonry contractor); in my current career, teaching at Carson High School, is by personal choice and not an evolvement from circumstances. In my work, as an instructor of masonry, I am driven by a passion to pass along the professional skills and experiences I’ve acquired as a master mason in my younger years.
I believe that my years of experience in the field as a builder, craftsman qualifies me to present an informative view of the masonry industry in general.
It is a well-known fact that the key to well-paid jobs is good education. Unfortunately, the concept of educationis generally equated with earning a college or university degree. While college education broadens the opportunities for employment, it does not guarantee gainful employment. Also, let’s face it: not everybody is suited for the rigors of a college education.
With most people seeking career opportunities through college education, we are fast approaching a situation where there is a surplus of degreed professionals, but not enough skilled workers to produce the ever increasing need for consumer products and for skilled manual work.
The need for skilled workers offers a wide range of opportunities for employment in various sectors in the industry, rivaling –in some cases even exceeding– the salaries paid for jobs with college degrees.
The traditional gap in compensation between many white-collar and blue-collar jobs is narrowing.
Education and training is still a key element and a mandatory prerequisite for employment, but the means and type of education are tailored to acquire specific skills through vocational school training and combining them with experience gained through apprenticeship. There are no short cuts!
Predictions by business experts for the future developments in the economy suggest that after some decline and stagnation in the building industry, it is on a vigorous rebound. Related professions and trades, like carpentry, masonry, concrete works, plumbing, utility services, etc. are expected to grow exponentially, offering job opportunities with attractive salaries but not requiring a college degree.
I cannot offer advice about other trades, but the field of masonry, as a profession, is within the realms of my expertise. My career as a brick mason has evolved from my specific circumstances (being the son of a masonry contractor); my current career, teaching at Carson High School, is by personal choice and not an evolvement from circumstances. In my work, as an instructor of masonry, I am driven by a passion to pass along the professional skills I learned from my mentors and the experiences I’ve acquired as a master mason in my younger years. I also try to impress it on my students to have pride in their work and getting satisfaction not only from the monetary rewards but having a sense of accomplishment.
Over the last nine years I have enjoyed training young men and women to prepare them to be future masons. I tried to instill as much appreciation and passion for the trade as I have. I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction to train and prepare my students for local and state competitions to demonstrate and prove the skills they learned.
I am also truly gratified knowing that I had a part in guiding and molding the skills and attitudes of students who chose masonry not only as job, but as a vocation. I recall their names and faces with pride.
I believe that masonry, as trade, is and will be, an important factor in the economy in the future, and it will always offer an opportunity to make a rewarding career for those who choose it as a profession.
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