Career Interview
By Nathan Martin
With: Andy Martin – Sheet Metal Technician
What do you do for a living?
I am a Sheet Metal Technician. I install duct work andheating style machinery, HVAC outfits etc.
How many jobs have you had and what werethey?
I have had a variety of jobs ranging from carpentry for afew years, sanitation for a year, janitorial for a couple ofmonths, automotive technician for various different timeperiods, roofing for fifteen years and currently into sheetmetal for almost three years now.
What advice would you give someone tryingto enter your field of work?
Anyone trying to enter my field of work, I strongly adviseyou to stay in school, get you proper education, follow theblocks and proceed to your journeymen. Don’t stop untilyou get your journeymen!
A journeymen is the top of the line. They are the oneswho call the shots in my field of expertise.
What training did you require for your work?
I personally did not require much training for my field ofwork because I sort of fell into it. I started off with thecompany as a hired hand, just a strong back, and then itjust branched down from there. Then I went to help out afew people doing refrigeration. After that I got tradedwithin the company to the sister company to do the ductwork on different job sites.
Is this the type of job you wanted as a child?Why?
No, this is not particularly the type of job I wanted as a child. Iwould much rather prefer anything in demolition field,something with explosives, but it is hard to find something likethat. I would have liked this area because it is something that Ienjoy.
Have you had to travel for work? Where? Did youenjoy it?
I have had to travel for work in the last couple of years. I had togo to Port Sanders, nice little place, but I got stuck up there for awhile. I also worked in Port Aux Choix and got stuck there for aweek because of high winds. I had a nice job up in Labradordriving a scissor lift on the main road. That was awesome! I alsoworked in various other places around the province. It’s nice tosee the different scenery but I would rather be closer to home.
Do you enjoy your work? Why?
I do enjoy aspects of my work because I get to make a lot ofnoise and I get to use interesting machinery. However, there areaspects of my job that just get monotonous and routine, such asdoing the same things over and over.
Is there any risk of injury at your job? How?
There is always a risk of injury at any job. There is a slightlyhigher risk of injury at my job, from falling from heights, togetting cut by the sheet metal that you are using. There is alwaysdangers you have to be aware of.
In the event of an injury what procedures arein place to take care of it?
There are procedures put in place in case of injuries. All theproper steps are laid out for you. First you notify the supervisor,then if necessary, call 911 and secure the scene. However thereare steps in place to prevent such accidents from happening andas long as you follow those rules, it keeps injuries to a minimum.
What kinds of things do you do in your work?Explain
Mostly, I put together and install duct work and that ranges fromhaving to put it in different places to allow for insulation becausesome of it has to be insulated on the inside and some on theoutside. It all depends on the particular aspect of the job.
Are you required to wear a uniform or anyother safety equipment? Why?
No, not so much a uniform, everyday clothes are fine. However Ido have to wear personal protective equipment at all times, suchas a hard hat, safety vest, glasses and gloves. Work boots arenecessary for any construction site.
Do you work inside or outside? What do youdo there?
Most of the time my job requires me to work inside where I amrunning ventilation through different buildings, but sometimes Ido have to work outside on the different machines to placeequipment on the roofs, etc.
Do you have to deal with the public whileworking? If so what do you do with them?
Sometimes I do have be around the public. When around them, Ineed to run cation tape to protect them from falling objects. Ifwe are using the crane, it is especially necessary to secure thearea so that no one gets injured.
Did you go to post-secondary? Whereand what did you study?
No, my highest level of education was actually high school Ididn’t pursue secondary education because I already had a job.
What are three things you like about yourjob? Why?
Well the pay is fairly good but it could always be better. Travelingat times is nice because you get to see different places, but as Isaid before I would prefer to work near home. I have a fine crewof people that I work with that makes the job easier and moreenjoyable.
Would you recommend this job to others?Why?
At this time I would recommend this job to others because rightnow there seems to be a high demand for this type of work. Ifanybody is looking for work this would be a good field for thembecause there is a lot of demand for this area.
Is your job difficult? Why?
My job is not so much difficult as it is frustrating because if youget parts that do not fit or if someone changes the blueprints sothat your duct work doesn’t possibly fit where it’s supposed togo, then you have to get a change in the order.
Did you work during high school? If so atwhat? And how long?
I was working during high school. While there was when I workedin carpentry and automotive and roofing. This happened mostlyduring my last year of school.
What brought you to work at your currentjob?
I was actually doing roofing and a friend of mine asked me to gofor an interview and the company made me an offer I could notrefuse so I went back and gave my notice to my current employerat the time and moved on from there
What’s the best and worst experiences youhave had at your work?
Some of the best experiences I have had involve having thesatisfaction of getting a job completed on time which makeseverybody happy or when I’m travelling around the province.That also comes down to some of the worst times. Some of theworst times involve the feeling of being pushed because I don’thave the job completed on time or spending too much time awayfrom home.