Faces of Faith Technologies | Meet Justin, 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 Justin Lee, an Alaskan native, currently in his fourth year as an apprentice. Here’s what he had to say:

What led you to work for Faith Technologies?

I graduated from college with biology and chemistry degrees, before realizing I would need more schooling to pursue becoming an animal biologist. With some construction experience from prior to college, I decided this was the more beneficial path. I became a supervisor with a construction company, but suffered an injury on the job. The injury helped me realize I wasn’t prepared for the career path I had chosen, which prompted me to research apprenticeship programs.

The state of Alaska was still recovering from the 2008 recession, so I began calling the major electrical contractors in Minnesota. Faith hired me within one week of my call, and I relocated to Minnesota to begin my training. My wife, Abbey, was pregnant at the time, but was able to follow me shortly after.

What does your position entail?

I currently lead a crew of eight; I support the completion of tasks in our area by coordinating the installations and ordering materials. As a level four apprentice, I’m on the cusp of working on more advanced tasks, but remain focused on my current role. My goal is to begin training for the power monitoring systems path, and possibly gaining BICSI certification.

The most important part of my job is staying safe; our crew completed the ‘What’s Your Why’ initiative, and I have a sticker on my hard hat with my wife and daughter’s names to remind me to stay safe.

What are some difficulties about your job?

As construction workers, we face constant pressure to maintain schedules, be safe and work with other contractors in sometimes challenging situations. I think it’s important to learn coping methods to stay clear-minded on the job site; to relieve stress, I work out and spend time with my daughter, which helps me feel recharged.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I travel frequently, and am home one week out of each month. While traveling, I like to experience things I can’t at home. While working on a project in Utah, we’d go hiking or go snowboarding at night, Snowbird, a ski resort, was our favorite location!

When I’m home, I focus on my family, do projects around the house and play basketball with friends. My family is still in Alaska, and I try to visit once per year. This year, I’ll be bringing my father-in-law and brother-in-law with me to hunt big game (moose and caribou), and I can’t wait to show them my favorite spots in Alaska!

Do you have any aspirations, inside or outside of work, that you’d like to share?

I would like to see one of my inventions come to life: I have tool ideas in the works to try to make some job site tasks easier and safer. In addition to my innovations, I would like to start advancing at Faith following my graduation.

Our team is hiring! Visit our careers page to learn more about our unique culture and career opportunities near you.