Q: When did you start working here, and what do you do with Southern Site?
A: I got my start with Southern Site in November 2019, and I’m a haul truck driver. Basically, I’m just in charge of bringing everybody the materials they need to do their jobs.
Q: What were you up to in your career before you came to Southern Site?
A: After I graduated from high school, I served for eight years in the Marine Corps. This is the first job I’ve had since I got out of the military. I was a mechanic in the Marines, working on pretty much anything that had wheels, so I was naturally attracted to the construction industry. My wife has a friend that works here, which is how I got in touch with Southern Site.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job?
A: After eight years in the military, it’s nice to not have to be responsible for other people, or to answer for their mistakes. I have the freedom to do my own job and just be responsible for myself.
Q: What makes Southern Site a great place to work?
A: This company has great benefits. I was so impressed by that, especially coming from the military. Honestly, Southern Site’s benefits are very close to the same benefits I had in the Marines. You don’t often see people get benefits this good from a private company.
Q: Do you have any ideas about how the construction industry could do a better job of attracting young people?
A: Definitely. I would say that construction companies should target people transitioning out of the military. It’s worked very well for me. I don’t know why more companies don’t do that, actually. I’ve been to quite a few career fairs in my years in the military, and there were maybe one or two construction companies at each of them, but that’s it. I would have expected a much bigger turnout from the construction industry at those events.
Q: How do you like to spend your free time when you’re not at work?
A: I have a wife and two kids, so I like to spend as much time with them as I can. We have a big woodshop in our garage where we like to make furniture and other stuff. We’ve made a lot of farmhouse tables, and now we’re making wooden flags that are really getting popular around here. I also do a lot of fishing. That’s one of my favorite things to do on the weekend.
