Carpenter Drake Sylvestre recently received his carpenter Red Seal certificate, married his wife and welcomed his first child all within the last year. The enthusiastic young carpenter has made major leaps in his career in an increasingly challenging environment brought on by a global pandemic.
Construction Foundation of BC Career Catalyst Dave Lovisa chatted with Drake about his road to Red Seal certification and the inspiration for him to enter the world of trades at the age of just 16-years old.
Drake’s first experiences on the job site as a teenager involved helping as a labourer with Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC). This job helped him to understand the on-site trades such as plumbing and electrical for example, and how they all fit and worked together. The experience helped Drake understand the importance of communication and how each individual trade could help out another.
Inspired and encouraged by his family—his father in particular—to enter the trades, Drake is now fulfilling a lifelong fascination with the construction of houses through his career as a journeyman carpenter.
“Everyone needs a place to live,” Drake remarked.
Drake likens the stages of construction to the piecing together of a puzzle, where, step-by-step, each piece comes together. Recently, he put that analogy to the test when he was tasked with the responsibility of managing his company’s two employees to finish off a house after his boss had to take on extra duties at home. The opportunity allowed Drake to show his capabilities and further cement his decision to commit to a career in carpentry.
“[My boss] is very confident with my abilities, he doesn’t put me down, he knows what I can do, he’s been uplifting and he’s been pushing and I kind of take charge now…”
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