I remember so much from my first job in the apprenticeship. I was fortunate enough to be hired on with one of the largest contractors in Cincinnati at the time. I was sent to work at Great American Ballpark in April of 2002. We took break in a large area that would soon be the switchgear room and everyday it would be filled with smoke and laughter. Journeymen sat at the break tables and apprentices sat on wire spools. The work we do is hard and apprentices were young and so out of respect the older guys should get the chairs. It was a small price to pay for all that they taught us. Someone told me once that the apprenticeship isn’t easy. Getting through those first few years will earn you the same amount of respect as your journeyman.

I spent my time at break and lunch getting to know the apprentices. When there was no one to talk to, I listened to conversations around me. There was a group of guys that played Euchre every day, they seemed to have the most fun. At another table, there was a guy named Kevin He loved to recite dirty limericks. Kevin would habitually teach the other guys “The right way” to eat a banana; hand on top of head pushing downward. There was Tim and his twin brother, Disco who spent their time talking about cars. They loved to work on muscle cars. Tim bragged about a car he kept in his brother’s shop that his wife didn’t even know about.

A few months went by and one of the guys that played Euchre got transferred to another job. When they asked if anyone knew how to play, I didn’t hesitate to volunteer. They introduced themselves, Dave and John were a team, and Jack would be my partner. Dave started out by saying, “This is just a friendly game of Euchre. We don’t get worked up or take it seriously.” He wanted to set my mind at ease and then Jack leaned in, “If we don’t win this game kid, I’m going to hunt you down and kill you in your sleep!” Dave and John looked at Jack and started laughing. It may have been a friendly game, but they were real pros. I had to step up my game. I learned so much more from those guys beyond paying Euchre.

It wasn’t just about dirty jokes and tall tales in that room; they were a wealth of knowledge. Those journeymen were giving advice to us young guys for free, and all we had to do was to listen. A good journeyman will not only train you in your craft, but he also became your mentor. In order to preserve the future of the local, a good journeyman will do everything he can to help you succeed. Building a community with the new generation makes us all stronger.

I’ll see you on the next one.