Welcome to Grit Nation, The Building Trades Podcast.

I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer, and host of the show and on today’s episode I will be looking into the origins and mission of the largest residential career training program in the United States, the Job Corps. 

Since 1964 the Job Corps has assisted over 2 million people between the ages of 16 and 24 in finding meaningful careers, in fields as varied as construction, the culinary arts and homeland security. 

To assist me in better understanding this program, I have invited two Job Corps instructors onto the show, 

Rich Evanuik and Tizzy Snelson.  

We’ll open our conversation by understanding the origins of the Job Corps and who the typical Job Corps student is.

Next, we’ll investigate the “hard skills” which are taught at Job Corps facilities and how Tizzy and Rich are able to overcome social, educational and generational barriers to better connect with their students.

Later we’ll unpack the relationship the United Brotherhood of Carpenters has with the Jobs Corps and why this collaboration is so important in meeting the workforce demands of a booming economy, and how the Job Corps graduates are part of the equation in filling the ever-widening skills gap in the building trades.  

And we’ll end our conversation by learning how those interested in the Job Corps can turn the skills and education they receive into a career and future they can be proud of.

The Show Notes

Job Corps Website
https://www.jobcorps.gov/

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Follow Grit Nation on Twitter
https://twitter.com/gritnationpod

Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit Nation is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

Visit the webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Win Grit Nation merch
https://mailchi.mp/c28da31260b8/grit-nation-podcast-sign-up-page

Follow us on Twitter
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Email comments or suggestions to:
joe@gritnation...

 Hi, Joe Cadwell here, the writer producer and host of Grit Nation. 

If asked what I like most about hosting a podcast, I would have to say getting to talk with some really interesting folks is at the top.

For example, last season alone I had the pleasure of speaking with industry leaders, authors, and innovators like - Brian Bogert, Ken Rusk, Jamie McCallum, Joann Greeley, Patrick Town and the three Mark’s - Torres, McDermott and Martinez. 

Their insight, wisdom, and perspective really delivered. I hope you agree.

Season 4 promises to be a strong one as well.

For example, my interview with New York Times contributor and  

author of 

Dirty Work - Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America, 

Eyal Press is going to be a great one.

Eyal and I discuss occupations that often takes place in the shadows of society.

From workers on the “kill floors” of industrial slaughterhouses to drone pilots who carry out targeted assassinations, 

his book Dirty Work, digs deep into the nature of morally questionable work and the mental strain it places on those who perform it.

In another season 4 release, I talk with award-winning journalist, Katrina Onstad, about her book, The Weekend Effect – which addresses; The life-changing benefits of taking time off and challenging the cult of overwork.  

Katrina and I will discuss organized labor’s role in establishing the 2-day weekend and why it is so important to protect these sacred 48 hours.

You may have noticed the show went through a bit rebranding recently. 

What originally started as a regional show highlighting carpenters in the Pacific NW has grown in size and scope and is now listened to nationally and internationally.

So regardless if you’re a carpenter, iron worker, plumber, electrician, laborer or work in a specialized craft, our futures as the builders of infrastructure and generational wealth is something to be proud of.

As always, the mission of this podcast is to shine a positive light on those who choose to do the tough, dirty, overlooked and often underappreciated work that keeps the gears of society turning.

The Show Notes

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Join the Grit Nation MVP Team
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Follow Grit Nation on Instagram
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Grit Nation YouTube Channel
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Leave a Review on Podchaser
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Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit NW is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with professor of sociology at Middlebury College, workers’ rights activist, and the author of two books on labor, Jamie McCallum. 

Jamie’s latest effort titled, Worked Over: How Round-the-Clock Work is Killing the American Dream; addresses the loss of agency the average American worker has in managing their work - life balance and why labor’s next big battle may not just be about wages but about time too. 

We’ll start our conversation by understanding the give and take relationship labor and management have shared over the ages and how this paradigm shifted from the agrarian task-based formula to a “time is money” model with the advent of clocks. 

Next, we’ll investigate the 1970’s resurgence of Corporate Class Power and how it has led to the extremes in income inequality we see today and how this resurgence has led to a dynamic which enables a CEO to make over 350 times what the average worker does. 

Later, we’ll discuss the triple threat that is unique to US workers and how over scheduling, under scheduling and volatile work hours contribute to work instability and why the American Dream is alive in well in other nations but is falling further away from the grasp of many Americans. 

 And we’ll finish our conversation by discussing why Jamie believes “we should redesign our economy so that trading most of our waking hours for money, isn’t the only pathway to a dignified life,”

The Show Notes

Jamie McCallum
https://www.jamiekmccallum.com/

Worked Over
https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/jamie-k-mccallum/worked-over/9781541618343/

On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Mark Martinez, founder of the Martinez Tool Company. Mark is the designer of the M-1 and M-4 Titanium hybrid hammers and has a long history of tool innovation and design. 

He has also worked as a builder for most of his life and has great insight into what it means to be a professional carpenter. 

We’ll start our conversation by learning about Marks involvement with the big brand tool companies, to better understand what has changed and what has not in hammer design over the decades.

 Next, we’ll dive into the metallurgy of Titanium and discuss its benefits and limitations as a material used in tool design.  

Later, we’ll discuss Mark’s inspiration for designing the M-1 framing hammer and how swinging the M-1, not only makes you more efficient but why it’s good for your health too.   

And we’ll end our conversation by discussing what sets an Alpha apart from the rest on a jobsite and what Mark means when he says, “it is better to work from your heart, and not from your wallet”. 

The Show Notes

Martinez Tool Company
https://martineztools.com/

Carpenters Elbow Symptoms
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1997-12-27-9712240248-story.html

In this episode I look into the cornerstone of the typical American dream, home ownership. 

To help me understand the ins and outs of this significant milestone in anyone’s life,  

I have invited back to the show Patrick Town, the owner of Union Home Plus, a Seattle based company that for nearly 20 years has been providing union members the safest, most cost-effective way to buy, sell or refinance their home. Also joining our conversation is Tim Tilbury owner of Velocity Real Estate Inc. 

We’ll start today’s conversation by delving into why, now more than ever,  it’s the right time to get into your first home. 

Next, we’ll compare the dollars and cents value of renting an apartment vs. purchasing a house and why it is more of an adjustment to your mindset than it is to your wallet. 

Later we’ll discuss some key points that need to be considered in order to lay the foundation for a successful purchase. 

And we’ll end our conversation by giving you the information you need to connect with the right lender and realtor to make your dream come true.  

Be sure to check out the show notes at the end of the episode to find out more about Union Home Plus and Velocity Real Estate Inc.

The Show Notes
 
Union Home Plus
https://unionhomeplus.org/

On today’s episode I speak with Frank Manzo from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. 

We will start our conversation by understanding how Frank teamed up with academics at Oregon State University to co-author his report on the effect Prevailed Wage laws have on taxpayer funded construction projects in the state of Oregon.    

We will then look into some of the falsehoods that circulate around prevailed wage projects as we uncover the fact-based truths that empirical data and research can provide.

Later we’ll unpack how employing skilled labor that is paid a livable wage, not only, does not raise construction cost, but can actually work to lower the cost of building projects while creating strong ties and advancement opportunities within the local community.

And we will finish our conversation when Frank shares his thoughts as to how apprenticeship programs are crucial in bridging the ever-widening skills gap that is growing in our nation.

This episode shines a light on many of the misconceptions about what paying skilled trades professionals a fair wage and benefits can mean. 

It also addresses the importance of awareness and understanding that carpenters must have when electing state officials who make career enhancing or ending decisions, such as Prevailed Wage and Right to Work laws.

The Show Notes

Illinois Economic policy Institute
https://illinoisepi.org/

NW Labor Press Article on Oregon Prevailed Wage Jobs
https://nwlaborpress.org/2021/01/oregons-prevailing-wage-law-investigated/

fire·side chat

/ˈfī(ə)rˌsīd CHat/

noun

1. an informal conversation.

The Show Notes

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Follow Grit Nation on Twitter
https://twitter.com/gritnationpod

Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit Nation is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

Visit the webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Win Grit Nation merch
https://mailchi.mp/c28da31260b8/grit-nation-podcast-sign-up-page

Follow us on Twitter
https://twitter.com/gritnationpod

Email comments or suggestions to:
joe@gritnation...

Welcome to the first edition of, How Does That Work?,
a special series within the Grit NW podcast, built to help listeners from the Northwest Carpenters Union better understand the numerous services, benefits and advantages available to them as members . 

In today’s episode we will meet the President of the Northwest Carpenters Union and Grit NW writer, producer and host Joe Cadwell.

We’ll begin our conversation by discussing what Grit NW – A Carpenters Podcast is and what it hopes to achieve.

We’ll then delve into the often-referenced Show Notes, and why he feels they are so important to “checkout”. 

Next, we’ll discuss the benefits of joining Grit Nation, and why it’s more than just a chance at winning a free t-shirt.

And we’ll wrap up our conversation with a call to action, where Joe will ask you, to subscribe to my, I mean his, podcast.

The "infamous" Show Notes

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Join the Grit Nation MVP Team
https://mailchi.mp/c28da31260b8/grit-nation-podcast-sign-up-page

Follow Grit Nation on Instagram
 https://www.instagram.com/gritnationpodcast/

Grit Nation YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-gSacdByjCCec1KeWDJgw

Leave a Review on Podchaser
https://www.podchaser.com/GritNation

Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit NW is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

On today's episode I have a revision of my recent interview with Cal Wiebe and his co-host David from the Skilled Trades Podcast, based out of Manitoba, Canada.
 
 It was great to be a guest on their show and I hope they continue to shine a positive light on the building trades and the people who do the work.

We open the conversation with me sharing my experiences as a Navy salvage diver, recreational SCUBA instructor and hard hat commercial diver.

Next, we discuss our shared experiences as blue-collar workers in the building trades and discuss what it means to be a professional craftsperson.

Later we’ll voice our opinions on why earning a Journeyman Card or the Canadian equivalent of a Red Seal Certification, is an achievement to be proud of, and how having this education and training, can allow you to build a pathway to financial and professional success in the working middle class.

And we’ll wrap up our conversation by discussing the ever-widening skills gap developing in the trades and the number one thing you can do now to double your own personal wealth in the years to come. 

This interview was a lot of fun to do, and I hope you enjoy it.

The Show Notes

The Skilled Trades Podcast
https://anchor.fm/skilled-trades-podcast

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Join the Grit Nation MVP Team
https://mailchi.mp/c28da31260b8/grit-nation-podcast-sign-up-page

Follow Grit Nation on Instagram
 https://www.instagram.com/gritnationpodcast/

Grit Nation YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy-gSacdByjCCec1KeWDJgw

Leave a Review on Podchaser
https://www.podchaser.com/GritNation

Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit NW is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

 Welcome to Grit NW.

I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer and host of the show and on today’s episode I will be speaking Joann Greeley.

Joann is a member of local 579 in Newfoundland Canada and she has a wealth of wisdom and insight to share on what it means to be a woman working in the trades.

We’ll open up our conversation by learning why Joann choose to be an electrician and what some of the challenges she faced early on in her career were.

We will then discuss the advantages of choosing a career as a blue-collar worker vs the over prescribed alternative of attending university to earn a degree.

Later we’ll look into Joann’s involvement with the Office to Advance Women Apprentices, and how this valuable outreach program is providing a first-choice career pathway to financial and professional success for those considering it.

And we’ll finish our conversation by understanding how important apprenticeship programs can be in bridging the ever-widening work force skills gap in both Canada and the US.

Be sure to check out the show notes after the episode for a more in depth look into the subjects discussed.

The Show Notes.

Red Seal Certification Info
https://itabc.ca/red-seal-program

United Brotherhood of Carpenters Apprenticeship Info
https://www.carpenters.org/join-us/

Grit Nation  Webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Follow Grit Nation on Twitter
https://twitter.com/gritnationpod

Email comments or suggestions to:
[email protected]

Grit Nation is a proud member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network
https://www.laborradionetwork.org/ 

Visit the webpage
https://www.gritnationpodcast.com

Win Grit Nation merch
https://mailchi.mp/c28da31260b8/grit-nation-podcast-sign-up-page

Follow us on Twitter
https://twitter.com/gritnationpod

Email comments or suggestions to:
joe@gritnation...