Miles Blaney is a new journeyman in Local 157 and a Golden Hammer winner. The sky’s the limit for this college graduate who rerouted his life and went from prospective businessman to union man.
How did you become a union carpenter? What were you doing before your apprenticeship that inspired you to join?
- Well, I went to college and completed a degree in business administration with the hope of one day being an entrepreneur. I found I didn’t have much interest in the business area of work and didn’t pursue it after graduation. I worked a bunch of odd jobs like coaching, food service work, tutoring, and more while I tried to find exactly what I wanted to do. I had a friend who was doing material delivery for a construction site, and I helped him out. The company asked if I needed work and that gave me my start in construction. It was nonunion, and I was so new to construction I didn’t even really know about the NYC Carpenters Union. Not long after, I ran into a friend who is in Local 157. He spoke about how incredible the union is to its members, from high pay and great benefits to training and representation. He mentioned recruitment was coming up, so I decided to apply for the apprenticeship. I waited on the line and eventually I was called to start the apprenticeship. I started as a first-year apprentice and never looked back.
It probably feels like yesterday, but four years is a long time. How would you describe your experience in the union?
- Outstanding. I’m thankful that I was privileged to end up with a good company that kind of took me under their wing, allowed me to grow there, and trusted me. I’ve been with RIVCO Construction throughout my entire time in the union. Thanks to their mentorship, I’ve developed a skill set that will travel with me the rest of my life.
It’s clear your company and the carpenters there really helped you grow. But what about the Carpenters Training Center? Did they prepare you for this career?
- Absolutely! The Carpenters Training Center definitely helps set you up for success in the union. It’s all thanks to the instructors at the school. I’ve had fantastic instructors teaching me the foundations and skills needed for our union. But it’s important to remember you are only physically in the Training Center sixteen to eighteen weeks during your four-year apprenticeship. The Training Center will teach you the foundation, and it’s up to you to apply what you learn from the school to the job sites. You will learn from the instructors, but you also need to learn from the journey members on your job site. The best advice I can give to any apprentice is to stand out in both the Training Center and on the jobsite.
While we’re on the topic of the Carpenters Training Center, you won the Golden Hammer contest for Interior Systems. How’s that feel?
- It feels good. It’s a great culmination of everything I’ve been working towards. For four years I heard about the competition and thought about competing. I was given the opportunity and made sure to give it my all. I did a lot of homework with the project blueprint to make sure I knew everything before heading into the competition. I was nervous during the actual competition but eventually my nerves settled, and I was able to complete the project. It felt great when my name was announced as the first-place winner, and it’s something nobody can ever take from me.
Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?
- Thanks to this union, the opportunities are endless. In a perfect world, I’ll start my own union company or try to rise up to being a foreperson or a superintendent one day. But the more important thing separate from any titles is to make sure I am still a strong union worker. Someone who continues to improve as time goes on. The kind of union member who brings a positive attitude to the jobsite, who’s willing to train others, and looks out for everyone to make sure everyone is safe. I think it’s important to take the training and knowledge I’ve been given and pay it forward. No matter what I’m doing in our union in five or ten years, I can promise you I will still be that kind of member.
