How did you become a union member?
I had wanted to get into the building trades for a long time. Once I found out about apprenticeships, I went online and did a little research and applied to several different locals. I thought to myself, “oh, there’s a pathway!” They’ll give you training to get a good job and then you can learn and work at the same time. The apprenticeship has been great.
Why is being a union member important to you?
I wanted to feel like I was part of something. I wanted to have meaningful work and work that felt like it was respected and that I could work with other people who love their job as much as I did. That’s very important for me. Being a part of a union, people really look out for each other a lot more than in non-union workplaces. It feels good, it feels like you’re protected and like you’re looked after a lot more. It’s a good feeling. I feel like I’m part of a community.
What’s it like working on solar projects?
It was a really cool experience. Before coming into the apprenticeship, I did a lot of farm work. I was outside in all kinds of weather. So, that really wasn’t a big change for me. It wasn’t daunting in that way, but just seeing the sheer size of the project was pretty crazy. And then learning how much goes into it. You don’t just throw up panels, there’s a lot of underground work. I like being outside, I like working outside. It’s a lot of walking too. It’s refreshing actually.
We need more clean power and we need to make it more accessible. We need more solar and more battery plants, and we need this clean energy to go into the grid and affect people’s energy bills in a positive way.
How do you see the affordability crisis and the climate crisis affecting working people in Maine?
The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 95% of the world’s oceans. It’s warming at a very alarming rate. It’s definitely made me think about the long-term future. We have a lot of storms here and it’s very cold, and our grid needs to be updated. As far as affordability goes, in the wintertime in Maine especially, it’s heating and electricity that are the two huge bills that almost everyone talks about, regardless of how much money they make. We need more clean power and we need to make it more accessible. We need more solar and more battery plants, and we need this clean energy to go into the grid and affect people’s energy bills in a positive way.
What ways do you think Maine would change if there were more local union jobs working on clean energy projects?
I think that would be a great future that I’d love to see. Another problem that Maine has faced for many, many years is that the population is aging and a lot of people can’t afford to live here. More pre-apprenticeship programs and apprenticeships right out of high school would give a lot of people, young people, a career here in Maine.
What advice do you have for people who are curious about a union career in the building trades?
If you’re in high school, I would reach out to somebody like an advisor, a counselor, or even just doing an internet search and asking some people if you happen to know somebody who does a building trade. That, and looking at pre-apprenticeship programs. I really wish I had had one in high school because I probably would have found the union trades a little sooner.
Where do you hope to see the clean energy economy in the future?
In an ideal world, everything would be run on solar, wind, or some other kind of clean energy. We would have legislation that protects, funds, and promotes clean energy projects. And clean energy would help people have an affordable life, and that would be good for the planet and for future generations. In the process of doing all that, it would be easier for people to have good lives. That’s my hope.