Justin Perkins was “seriously slacking” in his 20s, but once he began to raise his family, he knew he wanted to improve his life. He enrolled in Construction 101 in December of 2018 with the hopes of finding more stable and fulfilling work.
Before Justin’s time with ReSOURCE, he noted that his ADHD was a handicap in various dead end jobs and he was lacking a career with meaning. Through Construction 101, Justin gained a solid foundation in a variety of trades as well as hands-on and NCCER certification-verified training in hand and power tool use, job site safety, blueprint reading, construction math, and communication important for the jobsite. His experience culminated in designing, building, and installing a new shed for a nonprofit preschool in Williston, Vermont.
“Construction 101 helped me believe that I deserved a fulfilling career,” he said. “I didn’t think I had it in me until I met you guys at ReSOURCE. You showed me I could be more.”
Justin realized that his ADHD, which had previously held him back in other jobs, actually worked to his advantage in plumbing—“In plumbing it [ADHD] thrives with all the new technical data to be processed!”
Construction 101 provides students the foundational knowledge to enter any of the trades, and after completing the program, Justin became a Registered Plumbing/Pipefitter Apprentice working with E&M Mechanical. He’s currently working for Vermont Mechanical in their piping division and is also completing Plumbing Apprenticeship classes at Vermont Technical College. In four years, he will be a Master Plumber with an Associate’s Degree—all paid for by his employer.
“It doesn’t feel like work anymore. It’s rewarding getting paid for knowledge. You can’t beat getting paid to learn every day.” With his newfound technical knowledge and confidence, Justin is pursuing the rewarding career he’s been looking for. “My work has meaning for me now—making sure someone’s home will have heat and hot water for years to come.”
