05.21.2020
Faces of Faith Technologies | Meet Jacob, Electrical Apprentice
At Faith Technologies, we have some amazing employees who make our culture unique. The Faces of Faith Technologies series aims to highlight the talented individuals who work with us. Each month, we’ll introduce you to several of these individuals so you can get to know the ‘Faces of Faith Technologies.’ We recently talked to Jacob Smith, a level four electrical apprentice who recently passed his Journeyman’s exam. Here’s what he had to say:
What does your position entail?
Our job crew works daily to prepare areas of the facility which will be renovated once we’ve demoed the conduit. To demo the lines, we begin at the electrical panels and follow the lines to the branch circuits, which feed the equipment. While following the lines, we identify areas of conduit that are not up to code or are not the correct size and trim those areas to ensure the next crew has a clear path to work.
What drew you to electrical work?
I enjoy physical work, but also wanted to become educated and build a strong career. Electrical work also opens many opportunities to progress outside of the field or branch into a different specialty of electrical work. I like knowing there are options open to me to progress to in the future.
What led you to work for Faith?
Before Faith, I was in another apprenticeship program and while I enjoyed the program, it was heavily focused on residential and I wanted more advanced training. A friend of mine worked for Faith at the time, and referred me into the apprenticeship program, which was one of the best decisions I could have made.
Our apprenticeship program prepares electricians for a broad spectrum of work, and successfully prepared me to pass the journeyman’s exam. When I started at Faith, I thought I knew a good amount about our field, but in my first few weeks I realized I didn’t know much at all!
Dan Hieptas, technical training consultant, and Mark Cook, electrical education specialist, were invaluable to my education, and their dedication to our training was inspiring. Working for Faith has been a rewarding and fun experience; I enjoy the comradery of my crew and feel valued by site leadership.
What has been your most challenging obstacle?
Learning and being able to manage control wiring has been difficult; control wiring is a low-voltage system used to communicate commands and other information between control devices for lighting, or a series of equipment. Although it hasn’t been easy to learn, being surrounded by experienced electricians who volunteer their advice has made a difference.
What hobbies and activities do you enjoy outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hunting, waterskiing and volunteering at my church. My friends and I (pre-pandemic) have been visiting different supper clubs in the area every Friday night for years, to find the best fish fry in town! Like most Wisconsin residents, during the summertime I love being on the water, but particularly enjoy waterskiing.
Hunting waterfowl is a favorite hobby for me, especially with Horicon Marsh located just south of Waupun. Apart from the appreciation of the hunt, spending time outdoors in a beautiful spot of the state is an added benefit. I’m also on the hunt for a new home in the northern Waupun area.
What motivates you to do your best work?
Waking up with a purpose motivates me to show up and produce quality work I can be proud of.
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