by Caitlin Kenney

Shawn writes:

Since the age of 21, I had worked in the building trades as a pipe and duct insulator out of local #16 San Francisco. In Jan of 2004, my friend opened a mortgage bank and offered me a career change. I knew absolutely nothing about this industry but immediately fell in love with it. I started out working at the lock desk and eventually became head of secondary marketing, as well as account executive to outside retail branches. Then the summer of 2007 hit. There were multiple pay cuts as well as the loss of monthly bonuses.

After 3 years of learning a fascinating business that was giving me a good living, I found myself facing the reality that I may have to go back to being a labor man. By Oct 2008, I could not weather the storm any longer and went back to my union. Here is the good part, I hooked back up with the same superintendent that I had worked for and started working immediately. In fact, I have been working a lot of overtime with more on the way.

 

This change back to my previous career has enabled me to start paying off the losses of the previous two years and then some. I also have a new appreciation for my trade. I loved the mortgage business and still follow it closely, but I am very fortunate to be in the position I am in now.

According report released yesterday by the President's economic advisers, construction jobs are expected to experience the second highest job growth, behind the health care industry, in the next 8 years. The report predicts that the number of construction jobs will increase by 2,000,000 from 2008 to 2016.