Are STEM Magnet Schools the key to Construction Education of the Future? with Kate Gause

SPEAKER_03 0:00

I think the biggest thing I want to do is change that stigma. I want women in construction. I want women in the trades. I want women in operations. I want to make the industry a place that they feel safe to work and that you know they feel like they're equals. I don't want having a woman on your team to be a diversity point. I want it to be the standard.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

That is Miss Kate Gauz, construction superstar, also the social media rock star for the TCCI construction career day. I got to meet her several years ago when she was coming up at Construction Careers Academy and super enthused that she's blazed the path that she's living right now and enjoying what seems to be a meaningful career in the construction industry, working for a trade. Which, of course, for me, I'm biased and love to see super human beings coming onto the trade partner side of the business. We have a little fun reminiscing on what that first contact was like and reflecting on how far she's come. She shares about the challenges for women and opportunities for women in the construction industry and what it was like for her to compete and how she's carried those lessons forward. We also talk about Ricky Ribbeye. If you get that one, let us know in the comments. And we're gonna give a shout out to the patrons out there. You know who you are that have contributed dollars. They're putting money on this bad boy to help us keep operating. Love that y'all are giving us your time and going the extra mile to giving us some cash to keep the boat afloat, baby. Uh, to the rest of the LM family, we love you. If you're new here, just know that we're here to enhance the image of careers in the trades, and we'd love for you to jump on board and help us continue doing that. And so I don't just keep talking and put y'all to sleep. We're gonna get back to the show. Here we go with Miss Kate Gauz. What's going on, LM family? I got a special, like super special guest up here with me today. We got Miss Kate Gauz, who I think first contact between you and I, you were what, a junior in high school?

SPEAKER_03 2:28

I think that's right.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

Oh, which for some people it wasn't creepy, it wasn't anything like that. It was it was super awesome. I was actually bragging to some friends this morning that I was gonna be interviewing you, um and telling them kind of the history of of when you first broke my heart, Kate. Do you remember that?

SPEAKER_03 2:51

I I think I do, I think I do, but I think you got some good people out of it though.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

We did, we absolutely did. Um so Kate, you're you're now you're in the construction industry, is that correct? Yep. Okay. Uh and when you and I first made contact, you were in high school, you're at Construction Careers Academy.

unknown 3:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

And you had decided to go. Can you tell us a little bit about that school and why you decided to go there?

SPEAKER_03 3:22

Yeah, yeah. So I, for people who don't know what a magnet school is, it's basically a, I like to call it a specialized high school where they have kind of specialties that you can focus on. So there are some for like the medical field, there are some for engineering, there are some for construction. I mean, there are all kinds and they're they're becoming really, really big. But at the time when I went to school, when I was going to high school, so back when I was in middle school in the eighth grade, there were all these schools that came and did these presentations. And so O'Connor, you know, O'Connor has ag. Um, and they were they were coming in, and I was supposed to go to O'Connor, so I kind of thought, oh, I'll just do the ag thing. I'm already supposed to go here. It's five minutes from my house, so I could literally walk if I had to, which I never would have, mind you, I never would have. But I could, and I was like so excited to go to this high school where it was in my mind, everybody who went there was so cool. But then all these high schools came and they did kind of presentations, they showed us videos on what they do. And at the time, I was taking I was a year ahead in math. So I thought I was really good at math. I was like, this is it. I'm gonna have, you know, a STEM degree. I'm really smart. I can be an engineer. And you know, my parents were telling me, yeah, you can make a ton of money. And I was like, ch-ching, like, I'm gonna be rich. I'm gonna be a good one. Exactly. So so there was one school that was engineering, like that was their thing, engineering focused. And then there was CCA that had engineering, but then they also had construction management, architecture, um, trade type thing. So when I ended up applying and getting, I actually didn't get in. So it's a it's a lottery system. So they put all these kids' names who've applied into this hat so that it's fair, and then pull it out, and then you know, just see who gets in, basically. And as long as you meet the criteria, I mean, everybody has the same chance to get in. So I applied to this school, I applied to both of the engineering ones because I thought this is my future. And I guess when I was 13, and I thought, yep, this is it. I'm 13 years old, I'm ready to go to college, I'm ready to, I'm ready to just do what I need to do to be rich. And so I applied to both. I got into the engineering only school, and I don't know, something just didn't feel right about it. I don't know if it was just the school itself or that maybe I didn't want to limit myself with engineering only. I I don't know what it was, it just didn't feel right. So I ended up turning it down. I thought I was gonna go to O'Connor. My parents and I had gone to all the ag presentations, I had put a down payment on a goat. I was gonna have a goat.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

A goat, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 6:34

Yeah, I was already thinking of names, and then I got a letter in the mail saying that I got into CCA. And I felt bad because we had just put all this money down on a goat and I wasn't gonna get to have the goat. But my parents basically told me, whatever, some other kid will take the goat. It doesn't matter. If this is where you feel like you need to go, you need to go. So they were always very supportive. I was nervous because I wasn't gonna know anybody at this school. I had gone to middle school with all of my friends for I guess the three years that you go to middle school. But I had been going to school with the same people for, you know, since elementary school. And now I'm going to this school on the other side of town that I couldn't take the bus for. Well, you can take the bus, but they have you know different spots for because it's far, they can't come to every single neighborhood. So because I wasn't zoned for this school, I really didn't know anybody. And it was cool because I got to meet all these new people. I kind of got to, you know, restart, but I ended up, I guess by accident, in the construction management program at this high school. And I thought, oh, you know, I'll just change. Like they pretty much told us when we got there that we could, if we didn't like what we were doing, that we could change and go into the other one. And the first year, everybody takes the same class anyway. So it doesn't really matter what your strand is until the second year when you really start getting into it. So I had, I had gone, I had decided, you know, I'll just stay and just see, you know, maybe maybe this, you know, happened for a reason, or maybe it was just a fluke and I just need to change into engineering. Um, but hindsight, it was probably one of the best things that had happened to me because I ended up really loving construction. I really loved, you know, getting to build things and getting to see it through. And once I started working in the industry, I I mean, I really kind of fell in love with it and getting to hear from everybody who worked in construction, who loved their jobs, who, you know, oh, I didn't want to retire, but you know, now I get to teach. So, you know, I didn't have to retire, but I wanted to so that I could, you know, breed a new generation of construction people. So I don't know. The at the time the high school seemed silly because I was kind of like, how am I 13 years old deciding what I'm gonna do? But my parents told me they were always like, well, you know, if you don't like it, that's just something that you don't have to do. And so I think it really gave me a leg up when I went to college that I already knew what I wanted to do, and I knew what school was best for that. And I went to Texas AM and I got my degree in construction science and I loved it. And now I have a job that I really love. And so for people who don't go to those magnet schools or or go and don't like what they're doing, I mean, it's it's one thing to check off your list of maybes. But in the grand scheme of things, there's a million jobs and a million different majors that you can choose from. I'm so lucky that I ended up in the construction management program. It seems like an absolute accident looking back on it, but but worked out.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Yeah, I think the industry's lucky too for you having landed in that. I mean, uh you covered a couple important points. I mean, eighth grade, right? Like now we there's all this pressure or this type of thinking that I've got to select my strand to go to the right high school, to go to the right college, to start my right career. And I think you said it perfectly. Like it may not be the right choice in eighth grade. And your parents supported you and said it's okay, because then at least you know what you don't want to do.

SPEAKER_03 10:42

Exactly. Versus, I mean, kids who go to a normal high school, it's kind of like, okay, well, I didn't really specialize in you know anything. You know, people, kids who think they want to do psychology, whether it's like one or two classes at every high school that are fun, of course. So everybody's like, yeah, this is it, this is what I want to do. When, you know, in the grand scheme of things, that one class was probably the most exciting stuff that you're gonna learn about it, and it doesn't get better from here.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

Totally. I mean, we've interviewed like Shannon Tomusco, she was going into accounting. Um, we've had several people on the show that uh Henry Nutt also, who just published a book. Shout out to Henry, congratulations on the book, who was going down a different path. I think he was going down the mechanical engineering path, um, and discovered he entered the trades as a sheet metal where he's like, oh my god, like this, and he's had a tremendous impact on the industry as a result of discovering what he didn't want to do, right? And and I think that's it. We don't we don't I mean, heck man, I'm still trying to figure it out. Um, but the pressure or fear that comes with this decision is going to dictate the rest of my life. That's a false problem. Like, that's not real. You're you're enjoying your work and your career, and you're like, yeah, it just kind of happened by accident.

SPEAKER_03 12:09

Yeah. Well, and I think I think a big part about it too is like we really push college on kids. And if you, I mean, college is so expensive, especially if you go to a major university, that if you have to change majors or you don't pick the right thing, I mean, it really sets you back. It sets you back monetarily, it takes away however many semesters that you were in this wrong major. I mean, there are so many things that I think people just will stick it out and think, well, when I start working, it'll be fine. And it's not. And they don't like their job and they don't like what they're doing. But I think another thing that I've been noticing recently is that they're, I mean, college and after college, it doesn't dictate what you do. I've met so many people in construction where they're like, yeah, you know, I was an accountant, but here I am. Or, you know, I used to work at Walmart's, I used to be in the military, and now here I am in construction, and I love my job and I'm good at it. I mean, I think it's just one of those, if you've got the personality, if you've got some common sense, if you're a good learner, you can do any job.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

Yeah, and what's important is that it's meaningful and fulfilling work. And also that the people don't stink, right? When you work with stinky people, that ain't fun. It don't matter what kind of work you're doing. Um, so construction careers academy, amazing program. But it wasn't just book stuff.

SPEAKER_03 13:43

No, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Like what other cool stuff did y'all do over there?

SPEAKER_03 13:48

So I think right before it was either right before I went to CCA or maybe it was my freshman year, but I think one of the first things I really saw them do was like the tiny houses where they I mean, I mean, that's exactly what it is. It's a tiny house, it's small, but you know, they're able to give it a ton of storage and a place to sleep and a kitchen and a bathroom in this small square. And I mean, that was so cool to me that these high school students were building that. And then I think my freshman year, they did container homes, which I mean, that was a huge thing back then was taking those shipping containers and building, you know, houses out of them. And I ended up getting really involved. So the I think they called them senior builds. I think that was kind of the thing, was that it was for the senior class. They started, they kind of did the framework and the the very early stuff, junior year, end of junior year. And then when they come back from the summer, that's when we start, you know, finishing it out and getting it ready for the parade of homes, where everybody gets to kind of come look and see what you've done. So I ended up getting really, really involved and going to a lot of kind of the volunteer days where you know it'd be Saturdays that we'd come out and we'd work on the houses. And that is not the kind of thing that I ever would have seen myself doing. Like spending my Saturday waking up early, which I I'm not a morning person, and it was even worse back in high school. Yeah. If I could sleep in, I'm sleeping in. If it's a choice, I'm deciding to stay in the bed asleep.

SPEAKER_02 15:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

But I ended up, I mean, volunteering on all these Saturdays, going to help build with these people I don't know, hanging out with uh like the administration and all these teachers that I did not have. Um, and it ended up being, you know, a great experience. And I feel like it really set me ahead in my career, that I knew how to do actual construction. And even if it was residential and it was small scale, like, no, I haven't built a whole house, but I did build something that somebody lives in. So I mean, and it those tiny houses, they have everything that a normal sized house would have. So it's kind of like I don't know, I I learned a lot and I got a lot of background information that has helped me in everything that I've done so far.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

Yes. And so for clarity, for the LM family out there that's trying to, she's saying tiny home, and we're not talking like a dollhouse, we're talking like a an RV, like a recreational home that's on a trailer that people buy. The school auctions them off to raise funds to keep this amazing program going. It's got fully functional plumbing, HVAC, really nice. I mean, it it's it's not a camping space, it's a living space.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 16:57

And the students, y'all design it, y'all plan it out, y'all execute all like y'all, they're all fully inspected and permitted by the city. Like, how am how accurate am I so far, Kate?

SPEAKER_03 17:10

No, you're spot on. You're spot on. I mean, so we did get a lot of help from our instructors. I will say that. Sometimes I remember being in high school, kind of explaining it to a lot of like the people who would come, we'd have all these adults come to the tiny the parade of homes where they'd come and look at it, and they'd be like, So what is this? And I'm kind of like, How'd you get here? Like you're on a high school campus, you're looking at all these tiny homes. There's a million high schoolers like walking around. How did you get here and you don't know what's going on? Like, come on, man. I'm like, obviously, me and all these other, you know, 16-year-olds built this. So obviously. But I mean, it's it's kind of hard to I mean, really digest that. I mean, I was 16 years old building, you know, places that people live right now.

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

But but I always had to tell people, they'd be like, um, I don't think I would want to live somewhere like that. And I'm like, okay, no, no, we have you know industry professionals that are now our teachers and they've guided us every step of the way. I'm like, it's it's legit, I promise.

SPEAKER_00 18:20

It it is totally legit. And you know, you talked about the building and working with people you didn't know, working with adults, working with administrators, and that was what I mean, you you you know this, but you and that whole uh program like blew my mind and helped me see things in a totally different way. Because at that period in time, I was working with T D industries, and one of my responsibilities was uh finding manpower, signing manpower to all of our projects in commercial construction. And the problem was it's which is still there and it keeps getting bigger, is there's not enough people. And so we're you know, we're struggling, crawling, scratching for people to just do the work. And then I got involved on the advisory council for CCA, and I started seeing what and I'm like, oh my God. Like, not only are y'all graduating with like an OSHA 10 certification and and some foundational knowledge, it's more than foundational knowledge. You have experience building and the communication skills and the planning skills and the coordination skills, like all of that is extremely valuable. And so that's that's what's happening. And like you said, 16-year-olds, right? Like, you know, everybody with their hoodies and kind of chilling, and and I'm like, y'all did that like amazing. And then I got to see you competing at the TCCI event, which this is if you haven't signed up, sign up for a booth. There you go, right? We need sponsors to sign up for the Texas Construction Careers Initiative. We have an annual event. We went virtual last year, we're planning to go live this year, April 6th in San Antonio, Texas. And it's really, I don't know if this has landed with you yet, Kate, but for me it's it has. I met you as a result of you competing on one of the builds at that event, and now you're serving on the committee. How does that how does that feel for you, Kate?

SPEAKER_03 20:33

It's it's crazy to think about, and I think it's gonna be even crazier when I'm there because I I don't think I realized kind of how far removed I am from you know that I I feel like it was yesterday, but when I think about it, you know, I just spent the last three and a half years in college, and then what one year, two years before that was when I was actually in the competitions. I mean, it's it's kind of crazy.

unknown 21:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:05

And and I'm and it feels like it's kind of come full circle, and I can't wait to see everybody else compete. And it's kind of crazy to be, you know, setting up for it and and being the the social media chair. I've been posting all these, I'm I'm looking through pictures to post, and I'm like, well, I can't post that one, I'm in that one. And I'm like I'm like, I'll be really excited to see you know who all competes.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

So man, I can't, I can't wait. I'm super, super excited. And I mean, also, CCA is a great program. Right. Um, we got to interview Miss Krista Accles, who's like a rock star.

SPEAKER_03 21:41

Amazing, amazing.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

Oh god, she's had such an impact on so many young lives and supporting them and nurturing them and challenging them through the into into the industry.

SPEAKER_02 21:52

Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

Now, when I saw y'all compete, there was, I think it was like eight schools. And y'all, you were on the team, the CCA team, that was comprised of only ladies. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_03 22:07

Yep, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

So I'm watching y'all work, and I'm just blown away. Like I'm watching all the students work. But you and your team, it appeared to me as if y'all had been working together for a few years, had a straight up plan who's responsible for what and who's gonna like y'all were framing out the walls, putting sheetrock on it, roughing in electrical, you know, just a small little cubicle, right? Like a little bathroom, roughing in a toilet and uh, I think a lavatory even. Um, and y'all were just like clicking away. And then I found out like y'all hadn't really practiced together.

SPEAKER_03 22:48

Yeah, well, we and it's it's kind of hard to remember because I did it twice. So I'm like, which time was which? Right. I'm like, which time which time am I thinking about? But we we had a couple like practices where they were like, here are the plans, these are the rules, these are the tools that you get, and this is your team. So talk it out, decide, you know, who's gonna do what. And it was it was really helpful because we did have, so we had, I think, two just construction carpentry, which is me and one of the other girls, and then we had um an electrician who was in the electric, or I guess not an electrician, but someone, a girl in the electrical strand, and then a girl in the plumbing strand. And so we kind of had our game plan to begin with, where it was like, okay, obviously you're gonna do the electrical stuff, and obviously you're gonna do the plumbing stuff, but trying to get the timing of all of it right so that everything, I mean, because of course you can't really do electrical or plumbing when there's not walls there to do them on. And so it was kind of like, how can we do this the fastest and who's gonna do what? And so I actually, I mean, we all helped each other out. We had, you know, the plumbing girl helping with with drywall. We had, you know, me helping with electrical, and I should not be helping with electrical. I mean and it was kind of crazy because I never really saw this at a disadvantage until I was whole we had to do like a roof, until I was up on the ladder with my hard hat on, of course, with all my safety gear, of course, with the roof that we had just built kind of resting on my head that I could not hold it up over my head to put it in the right spot. And mind you, the next year there were no roofs. We didn't put drywall on it. So we only had the framing. So of course it was like, you know, two pounds. But I mean, it was heavy, and I was like, okay, well, I guess that's kind of nice of them to to not require that anymore. But I all I could think about the next year when they were like, yeah, no drywall on the ceiling. I was like, that was me.

SPEAKER_02 24:59

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_03 25:00

That was me. So, you know, you're welcome, everyone, for making it easier.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

But everybody owes Kate a bit a taco, a breakfast taco. Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 25:10

If you see me at the event, if you see me at the event, you need to bring me some breakfast or a snack or something to yeah, I mean, we had only practiced together a couple times, and you know, we never had, I don't think we ever had a straight through practice where we just started and and got going because I mean we only had a class period or two class periods where we could come in and get working together. And, you know, for a lot of the girls, it wasn't at the same time. So it was, you know, before school, during lunch, after school, where you know, we tried to meet up. But of course, everybody's got their own extracurriculars going on, clubs, you know, classwork, homework. It wasn't where we could just, you know, go meet up every day, you know, like in college where you have one class maybe in the morning and then that's it the rest of the day where you don't have to do anything. Um but yeah, I mean, we we had only met a couple times, but I think that our drive to just kind of prove ourselves to everyone just made us click. And I think that us, I I feel like we were really able to help each other out and not get stressed out about it because what we knew kind of everybody was watching, waiting for us to mess up. We also knew the advantage that we had kind of working together, having each other, and then you know, having a whole team of administrators and people who knew that you know we had it. So I think that you know, the support of all the teachers, and then I think a whole bunch of our classmates came, which that's I think that's when it got nerve-wracking for me was I was like, my teachers can watch me mess up, they grade my papers, like they know. But as soon as other students start rolling in that I know, I'm like, they're gonna be hard on you now. Yeah, exactly, exactly. I'm like, now I have to do even better. But it really, I mean, it worked out. There were a lot of other teams that were really nice to us, and then there were, and you know, nice to us to our advantage. Like, yeah, you can use the saw first. And we're like, oh, thanks, it's so heavy. Like, you know, kind of I think we had, I think we had one miter saw that we, or maybe two, but all the teams kind of had to share it with them. And we didn't have to cut a lot on it. But you know, if you had to wait in line, that's time that you're losing during a timed competition. And so, you know, when they were being nice and they were, you know, probably being nice to be like, yeah, I'm that guy. I'm nice to you, you need the help. I mean, it was, you know, it was helping us out. I'm not gonna lie, it was helping us out. There were some really nice people, and then there were some not very nice people, but that's you know, that's in everything. They were probably mean to everybody in the competition, and they weren't discriminating against us, they were being mean to us too. So that's nice.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

Yeah, well, and that's so that's the thing, right? Everything you just described. I'm sitting here watching these, you know, high school students compete and like running tools, coordinating, organizing, sharing, fighting, like do making it happen. And that that is what happens on the job site. And I'm like, okay, there's some highly skilled students out here that I know can bring value to the company. And I don't care that that they're in carpentry or construction man, or like it doesn't matter. The skills that I need is those communication skills, the coordination skills, um, the teamwork, helping each other out. Like, that's what I and you knew how to use the tools. It's like, okay, I went back to the office, I'm like, we gotta do something. We ended up putting together an internship program for high school students between their summer, um the summer between their junior and their senior year, and then ideally they would come back to to work with TV full-time. And Kate, you were the first one on. I said, I need to talk to Kate, I need to see if we can get her on. And uh, you chose a different internship. And I'm glad because to see now you're you've you've completed your degree and you're doing a job that that you clearly you knew you had an idea of what you wanted to do, and and you followed that. So, congratulations. It did, you know, it did sting a little bit, but to your point, we got some amazing students. We ended up um oh my god, I just forgot her name. Samantha Yes, Samantha Devoric. She was my goodness, everybody was fighting over her because she was such an amazing student. And when I say student, I mean she just wanted to learn, right? And and she did not, like, she was not okay with standing around. She was like, give me something to do, teach me how to do this and let me do it. And man, the the teams out there, they they they taught her a bunch. Uh, Jose, I think Jose Moreno. I'm not sure if he's still with TV, but I know last time I talked to him, he was with TD. So he's working to become a master plumber. That was his goal, and he's working in that direction. He made that commitment in high school when I interviewed him during mock interviews. I'm like, so my point in all of that is there are programs out there that do this. You know, some people are gonna say there's not enough of them. I'll agree with that. But there are some that are doing really amazing things, and you're a phenomenal example of that. And and also, I I love to do this to all the employers out there. You think that these kids, you don't have time to babysit them. You're selling yourself short. You gotta get out to these CTE programs, they're all over the country now. Get connected, do some service, do some uh resume writing with them, do some mock interviews, get connected, get to know the students, and they will bring value to your company because this myth that kids nowadays don't want to work, that ain't true. Like nobody wants to.

SPEAKER_03 31:15

They don't know how. They don't know how to get in.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

That's it. They don't know how to get in.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

And I think that I think that you know, I was really lucky to go to a school where everything was a possibility, you know, nothing was a bad idea, any any job or future uh career that you wanted. I mean, it was it was possible. And they always made that seem like it was possible and nothing was a bad idea. And if, and if, and then it was okay to not want to go to college. I think that that's something that we don't push enough, especially at these normal high schools where they don't do magnet programs, that it's always like, well, where are you applying to college? And then, you know, in English classes, when they make you as an assignment, write the essays to get into college. I mean, it's you know, we're completely forgetting about a whole set of people who don't want to go to college, and that's okay. Well, it's not okay that we're forgetting about them, but that's okay that they don't want to go to college. They need to know, you know, the opportunities for them. And I think that just as a society, we haven't done a great job at saying, look at all the possibilities, look at all the things that you don't have to go to college to do. And, you know, they pay well or it's a good job. Or if you start after you graduate, you can work your way up fairly quickly. If you know you're a good learner. And I think that that is something that, you know, kids fresh out of high school that have gone to these programs, even not gone, but the ones who've gone who know that it's a possibility for them, that you know, getting started soon kind of sets you apart and puts you ahead of the curve. And, you know, you have all this time to learn. That's something that, you know, has really been hitting me recently is that I'm so young. And if I and I think part of it is because I grew up with parents who went to college. My dad, you know, worked at the same company for a very long time. I thought, you know, I graduate and I get a job, and that's where I have to be. And that there is no jumping around. But I mean, you know, if something's not working for you, there is a million other companies who who need labor, who need, you know, managers, who need people to work.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 33:35

And I think that, you know, that's something that we just really aren't telling, you know, really anybody.

SPEAKER_00 33:41

Yep. Yeah. With the the common lane, the common thinking out there is there's only one path. You gotta do this to start a career, to build a career. And I mean, that's part of the reason behind this podcast is to enhance the image of the trades and help people become aware of the opportunities that are out there. One, and and two, you know, the once uh the parents and some educators catch wind of the podcast, I'm hoping that they'll get a different view of construction workers because they're all amazing, they're all doing amazing things. I mean, you you're a phenomenal example of now. You're back, you're giving back to the school you went to, you're giving back to the community by being on the TCCI rockstar planning committee. Um launched your career. Uh so thank you for for continuing to be an example for for me. Like, I'm I'm always like there's when I some give me a success story. Well, let me tell you about Kate, let me tell you about Samantha, let me tell you about Jose. Uh, because y'all are still you're doing it, and you started so long ago. Uh, and also the administrators that made the investment to put that program together, and Miss Krista for continuing to make that thing the magical situation that it is. Um, so you bought a goat. Did you ever name the goat?

SPEAKER_03 35:08

I didn't. I didn't come up with a good one. I did decide, see, it starts with a goat, but I was like, after the goat, I'm gonna get um, you know, the cow that they let you, or the steer when they let you have a steer. Because I don't think they let you start with that, but I had already I had already been planning my steer, and I was like, he's gonna be Ricky Ribbeye. Ricky Ribbeye, and that's gonna be his name. So I never came up with the goat, but I was thinking very far in advance. So yeah, no, no goat names, but no goats, but Ricky Ribbeye. Yep.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

I love it. So went from the goat to AG to CCA. Now you got a degree in construction science, now you're working full-time out there in the industry. Um, you and I had a conversation about your experience in university and um something around perfection, and and do you remember that conversation?

SPEAKER_03 36:05

I do, I do, and I also remember after feeling like I had been really mean, not not to you, but just you know, about some people who probably need somebody to be mean to them, but you know, in in the nicest way possible, but but yes, I do.

SPEAKER_00 36:24

So, you know, you've been on the earth, you've got a lot of experience, and some people may argue that you're you know too young. And I yeah, I still I wish people would say that about me first, but it used to bug me when people would would say, oh, that's really not that big a deal. Like, man, it's it is it's the biggest deal I've ever dealt with right now. So it's absolutely a big deal. Um, and so with that, in your time on the earth, what is a significant learning that you've had as a result of a pretty big misstep?

SPEAKER_03 36:57

I I don't know if I've had any big missteps, but I do know that I have missteps every single day. And I have these, you know, not I guess they're huge ideas that you know everybody's heard, everybody knows about, you know. I think kind of one of the biggest ones for me is all right, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 37:22

We got a bit of a change here. Yes, I'm breaking up the flow, and that's not gonna change, it's gonna stay the same. But the LM family has spoken out, and we've heard you loud and clear. What we are doing is the backstage passes, these clips that you're not gonna be able to listen to on this audio version, are now gonna be available to everybody on our YouTube channel. So hit up our YouTube channel, subscribe, follow, like, hit all the buttons, and and give yourself a little bit of a learnings and missteps marathon and catch up on all the outtakes. We want to hear your comments and we want to know what you're learning from these things because all of our guests have shared some pretty intimate uh missteps and have had some pretty profound learnings, and we hope that you can take that and apply that going forward and even teach it to your people, the people you care about. So that is going to be the deal going forward. Thank you for supporting us and back to the show. I wish it wasn't that way. We have a long way to go. I know whenever I see that, um I do not hesitate to say, time out, bro. Like, no, you we're not playing by different rules. We're all playing the same game, and let's treat people, let's honor this woman accordingly, and and get get that garbage out of your head because it ain't cool.

SPEAKER_03 38:55

Right. And I and I feel so lucky that I haven't actually had to work with anyone like that. I mean, I've worked on all these different internships, I've worked for all these different GCs, and no one has ever treated me that way or given me a reason to think that that I've worked with. I think the the people who have that the biggest notion of, you know, you know, women, whatever, you know, I think that they either don't work in the industry and they're, you know, just some Joe Blow on the street who just, you know, yep, that's just what he thinks. And then there are the people who have been in the industry for a very, very long time who are about to retire anyway. So I mean, just stick it out, you know. I felt so lucky that I haven't had anyone that I've had to work with directly make me feel that way. I think the only person making me feel that way, like I can't ask questions, is me. And and right, and and that's been tough because you know, it used to be easy for me to be like, oh, well, you know, I can't ask questions because then I'll be embarrassed, and then I'm the girl who obviously doesn't know anything. But everyone that I've worked with has made it such an easy environment for me to ask questions, it's just me.

SPEAKER_00 40:22

That is powerful, Kate. Oh man. LM family members. I bet you Kate ain't the only one that that is her worst uh oppressor.

SPEAKER_03 40:33

Right.

SPEAKER_00 40:35

Oh man, that's solid stuff, Miss Kate. Um, so any shout-outs you want to give to any of your people out there?

SPEAKER_03 40:44

Um, I love my job. I'm working at ISEC. I love my job. Uh they're hiring. So if you guys need a job, I love my job. Maybe you'll love your job. Um, you know, we need pretty much everybody, so you know, come love your job. Um, you know, shout. I don't I don't think Keisha listens to this, but I learned so much from Keisha Planbeck. I worked with her at Scanska for um eight months last year, and she taught me so much, but she also set my expectations very, very high for other people. And it has not always I don't always see, yeah, yeah, yeah. You don't always have GCs like her running your job. You have Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:30

Yeah, I hear you. I hear you. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 41:33

Yeah, no, she was she was amazing, and I learned so much from her. Um, but you know, yeah, set my expectations way too high for some of the RFIs that I would read. I mean, just you know, that's just how it is, I think.

SPEAKER_02 41:48

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 41:49

I'll shout my parents out and my family for always supporting me and for, you know, not giving me a dirty look when I said I might want to go into construction, you know, despite the the stereotypes and the notions that I think a lot of us, or not us, but you know, a lot of people have. Um yeah, I mean, CCA, Miss Accles, she definitely showed me that women can be in construction and can do it better. So, I mean, she rocked, she was very, you know, helpful in me seeing that. Um, and you know, was always involved and wanting to get the girls involved. So, so I mean, you know, everybody, thankful to everybody.

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Yes, that's amazing. I I think um, you know, we talked about recognizing the administrators and the teachers that are giving back, right? Teaching uh CTE programs and so forth, super important, a critical element of our industry to continue to grow. Uh, and you mentioned your parents, because I do remember speaking with your mom, and I'm like, how do you feel about this? Like, well, you know, I'm a little nervous, but that's what she wants to do, and it looks like she's having so much fun. And two, like, we don't talk about this enough. Because I know my mom, when she was saying, you know, Michel's gonna be a plumber, or he's in plumbing, there were family members that were like, and you're okay with that? Like, you're all right with him wasting his potential? Uh, why you know, why isn't he want more for himself? This this kind of stuff. Um, and so the parents that are out there supporting and guiding their young students, their children, and and breathing confidence into them about their choice if making a career in the industry, we gotta we gotta shout them out, right? Like that's a big deal. In their circles, you know, people are parents can be what's the word?

SPEAKER_03 43:55

I can tell them a lot, but I don't know if I'm allowed to say them.

SPEAKER_00 43:58

Yeah, yeah, let's not say them. But there are some pet they're they're just nasty about things, right?

SPEAKER_03 44:03

Right. Well, and I mean I I think it's, you know, the stereotypes and what we see on TV. I mean, and of course, there are, you know, there are people in every industry who are nasty and who are not good people and who are gross and who, you know, you just don't want to associate yourself with. But that's every single industry. I just think that, you know, we see it the most when construction is depicted. I've met so many people who don't meet that stereotype. And when you talk to them and they're like, oh yeah, you know, I'm an electrician. And it's like, I never would have guessed that. But you know, that's that's me making those same stereotypes in my head, even though I work in that industry. I mean, I I think that I think that we just kind of need to to stop that and to show people that it is a good job. Being a plumber is a good job, or an electrician or HVAC or you know, carpenter. I mean, they're good jobs. And what would any of those haters who were like, you want him to waste his potential? I mean, what would they do if their plumbing stopped working? If their scent got clogged and they couldn't unclog it, what are they gonna do? Nothing.

SPEAKER_00 45:17

You're exactly right. You know, during SnowVid last year, um, I was reminded of how many friends I had. Right. Like, hey, my plumbing, what do I do? Like, hey man, this is like, don't count on me because if you need plumbing help, it's gonna take me six to eighteen months to actually get there and do it. Right. But I can guide you, you know, give you some tips and and ideas to handle it. But you're 100% correct. Like, there is a stigma out there, there's this image that people have, and in some cases it's earned. But but more and more, I think there's just a lack of awareness on the really amazing human beings that have built a career in the industry. Um, and and we got to give them that chance, right? We gotta listen to them, hear their story, and that's why we're doing this, so that they can share their story. Um so you know, you got a long road ahead of you. You've already done a lot of amazing things in your life. Uh, and so I'm wondering what what footprint do you intend to leave on the world, Miss Kate?

SPEAKER_03 46:26

I've thought about this a lot, and I don't I don't I don't know exactly how to put it in the right words, but I I think the biggest thing I want to do is change that stigma. I want women in construction, I want women in the trades, I want women in operations. I want to make the industry a place that they feel safe to work and that you know they feel like they're equals. I don't want having a woman on your team to be a diversity point. I want it to be the standard. And and I think I got really lucky because, you know, last year when I was working with Keisha, I was also working with an amazing girl, Allie. And I mean, we were all on the same team. And it was the last thing that I expected when I got my internship was that I was gonna be working with two other girls in the office. And I mean, it was it was mind-blowing to me, but I don't want it to be mind-blowing for other people. I want, I want girls to walk into an office where they're not the only one. And, you know, maybe where we can have, you know, a female construction manager and a female superintendent on the same team running a job together. We can, you know, pull a TCCI, build competition, all a girl team in the real world. But I I think I really just I want to change that stigma, especially for women, and you know, really show them the possibilities, as well as you know, showing high school students that you don't have to go to college and that it's not you know that big a deal. And I and I feel like that's hard for me because you know, I did go to college, but you know, I I always knew that maybe if I was better at trades or something, that you know, I I didn't have to go to college. I I could have had a very good, successful career in the trades. And I think that, you know, that's just something that we don't push for for any high school student, unless, unless they're able to be, you know, in a cool trades high school program. That I just I think we don't have enough of them. And you know, how do you how do you spread that without having more high schools like that? And and you know, without I don't know. I mean, there's just there's a lot of things that, you know, need to change, mostly, you know, stigma and stereotypes about the industry. But you know, I think it's possible. I think things like TCCI and the build competitions, schools like CCA, um, other high schools that take their wood shop programs where, you know, they they talk about plumbing or they do a little bit. I mean, I know, I know Mr. Burns, one of my favorite teachers from CCA, he had moved to a different high school, but is doing amazing things with their wood shop program. And so, you know, those students who didn't go to CCA, maybe didn't get in or did never think it was an option for them, are in this wood shop class where they thought that they were going to build bird houses, but you know, now they're learning about plumbing or they're learning how to fix holes in the drywall. I mean, that was one of my favorite learning experiences was when we did drywall on a wall and then we busted holes in it and then we fixed it. And now every time, every time I go to a friend's house and they've got a hole in their drywall, I'm like, don't worry, I'll fix it for you.

SPEAKER_00 50:02

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 50:03

Like, and and I mean it's it's simple, small things like that, but it's you know, being in the house that I just bought, I know how to fix stuff. I know how to, you know, do the flooring. I don't have to pay somebody, which now that I'm doing it, I really wish I paid somebody to do it.

SPEAKER_02 50:19

But yeah.

SPEAKER_03 50:20

But we're pushing through and you know, I know I'm saving money. And, you know, I think anybody that can learn anything, I mean, it it helps you be a homeowner if you don't like it and you don't want it to be your career. I mean, you can fix stuff and not pay somebody to, you know, flip the switch in your garbage disposal. I I think that there are so many opportunities. I I never really had family in construction, but you know, my mom and my dad, um, I mean, they both kind of figured out how to do stuff themselves, maybe because maybe because they're like me and they didn't want to ask for help, or maybe they just, you know, didn't want to spend the money. My mom has always been like that, where it was like, I don't have to pay for this because I can do it myself. Even if it's something that she's never done before, she's like, I can figure it out and I can do it myself. And I think that is shout out, mom. One of the one of the best, you know, things that I was able to see growing up is like, okay, well, you know, it's not that hard to fix your garbage disposal. It's not that hard to, you know, regrow your shower or put down flooring. I mean, she did all the flooring in my parents' house, she redid their bathroom. I mean, it's it's you know, you don't think about the construction industry, you don't think about the trades, but then then you're redoing your own house, and it's like, why not? You know?

SPEAKER_00 51:38

Yep. Yeah, those skills that we learn in the trades that you they can't take them away from you. You carry them with you forever, makes you more independent and gives you the opportunity to serve others for sure, like no doubt. Um, so I want to shout out a few a few folks. So were you was Mr. John Alvarez there when you were at CCA?

SPEAKER_03 52:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 52:00

Did you hear that he got Educator of the Year?

SPEAKER_03 52:03

I didn't, but congratulations.

SPEAKER_00 52:05

Yeah, I saw it on Instagram the other day. Like, that's so odd. Because I worked with John way back in the day. We worked together at at uh T D. Um, and to your point, you know, the um changing changing the the perception of of construction and trade professionals and the schools, like there's not enough programs, or we need rather we need more programs out there. Well uh Skilled Trades Alliance that I get to play with. They're working really, really hard to connect all the amazing programs nationally so that anybody that wants to so that we can learn from each other, right? Like, if you want to start something, there's CCA that got something going on. And I know Miss Accles is like, yeah, come on, we'll share everything that we're doing with you. Uh employers that have internships, how did they do it? How did they get there? Like sharing all of this knowledge so that we can accelerate um access to amazing careers. Uh, and and then TCCI, right? You talked about the Texas Construction Careers Initiative. We're both on the planning committee. It's San Antonio thing. It's amazing, it's it helped me launch some amazing things. And then lastly, Steve Turner with Bring Back the Trades, who has been putting out a scholarship every month, a thousand dollar scholarship for anybody any age that is in a uh some uh school or program that they're building their careers in the trades, they can apply for it. Uh so there are, I mean, there's this upswell uh Christopher Branchley with Rock the Trades, who's also out there doing amazing stuff to highlight um the magical stuff that's going on out here. Uh and and we'll get there. And then to to your vision, uh I'm man, I'm you I promise you, I'm going to be clipping what you said, and it is going to be a social media post. You don't want women to be a diversity point, you want it to be a standard. That's policy. Okay. Uh, and I'm I'm behind you, girl. Uh, if I can help, you know, you got my number. Uh I'll contribute in any way I possibly can. Uh, I know a bunch of people, so if we can get them together to help you in that effort, we will absolutely do that. Um, and so we never really got Ricky the Ribbeye. Uh but life seems to be pretty awesome for you. I can afford a steak, so oh, I love it. Is there anything that you wanted to cover that we missed?

SPEAKER_03 54:48

I I don't think so. I mean, you know, my biggest thing is my supportive parents love them so much. I don't think that I would be, you know, in the situation that I am if I didn't have their support. I'd probably be a nurse or a teacher or something that I don't like to do. I, you know, they really helped me without knowledge of construction. I mean, my dad, you know, working, you know, in his white-collar job. Oh, which one's which? White collar or blue-collar?

SPEAKER_00 55:20

White collar, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 55:21

Right, okay, okay, good. Okay. You know, I mean, he's always been white-collar, but when I told him, like, I think I want to do construction, it was never no, you need to have, you know, an office job, you need to be, you need to, you know, do that kind of thing. I mean, it was always supportive. Um, and you know, again, getting to watch my mom kind of do stuff around the house that I never would have considered construction or trades, but getting to see it kind of relay into the stuff that you know I'm doing and I'm and I'm working on and I'm seeing, you know, I think, you know, they they really showed me that I can do it and that, you know, anything I want to do, I can be successful in.

SPEAKER_00 56:05

Yes. So shout out, mom, dad. Thank you for nurturing such an amazing woman that is going to have profound impact on the industry. Do you have a good time, Miss Kate?

SPEAKER_03 56:16

I did. I did. This was way easier than I thought. I think you know, you make it easy for sure. I can always talk to you. Um, but this was this was good.

SPEAKER_00 56:26

Awesome. Well, I appreciate you giving us your time, and we'll do it again sometime.

SPEAKER_03 56:31

I know. Well, I guess I'll see you what every Thursday from now on.

SPEAKER_00 56:34

Yeah, yeah. We're gonna be having a weekly meeting in preparation for the big event. And so everybody out there in the Omniverse, that go on if you're on LinkedIn and Facebook, we have a TCCI account, Texas Construction Careers Initiative. And if you're not in the San Antonio area, it's okay. Follow us, support us. Uh, you're gonna be seeing pictures coming up uh uh in preparation. You're gonna be seeing pictures, some videos, and stuff about the event. And if y'all are interested in starting your own thing, like hit us up. We're happy to spread the goodness. Was that not powerful? I mean, that quote of I don't want having a woman on your team to be a diversity thing, I want it to be the standard. Like, amen. I think with all of us, all the LM family out there, we can actually make that happen. Shout out to all the amazing, glamorous, fierce, and powerful women that are out there in the industry laying the path. And Kate, thank you to you as well. We're gonna give a shout out to LM family member, Mr. Armando Dunales, who is from Dallas, and I've had the privilege of meeting face to face. I'm gonna cheat a little bit because this quote comes from a post on LinkedIn uh that was on Jennifer Lacey's profile. Jennifer Lacey, the famous lady. Um, and Armando is part of also part of the no BS tribe. Uh so whenever y'all get a chance, check us out every other Saturday. We're live streaming on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. Uh, and we're talking about some really vulnerable, meaningful stuff. Careful because hashtag allergies, it's gonna happen. Your eyes may water up a bit, and we all know the no BS tribe, everyone knows, thanks to Buddy, uh, that it's a function of allergies. We're not crying, our eyes are sweating because of the allergies. And so here we go for Mr. Armando. He says, Him being a bud has helped me to be a bud that is aspiring to blossom as he has. And he was talking about me. So, of course, that made me smile, a big smile. The bud that he's talking about is reference to the post that Jennifer put up that was talking about the risk and the pain, about sprouting beyond where we currently are, uh, and and recognizing that we all impact each other and give each other courage to to bud and sprout. So that's the end of it. We'll see y'all again soon. Peace. Man, you are one dedicated listener, sticking with us all the way through to the very, very end. Please know that this podcast dies without you. And we invite you to share how the episode is impacting you, along with your thoughts, questions, and suggestions. You've been gracious with your time, so we added social media links in the show notes to make it super easy for you to connect with us. Be kind to yourself, stay cool, and we'll talk at you next time.