My interview with Thomas Weil
?
What’s your full name and where did you grow up?
“Well, my name is Thomas Philip Weil. I grew up on the south side of Chicago until I was about, oh, 12. Then I moved Berkley, a suburb of Chicago.”
?
What type of people did you hang around with?
“I hung out with a mixed group of kids. My city friends were certainly different than my suburb friends. In the city, I hung out with more of the neighborhood kids, but in Berkley, I was hanging around more with the kids I met at school.”
?
What drove you to choose your career?
“I always enjoyed playing with trucks like most boys do. When I passed by some areas (construction zones), I would always stop by and see what was going on and what project they were working on. So when I got an opportunity to join, I did.”
?
What type of education did you need?
“Well you need to complete high school, and then you would have to take some personal development classes along with some business courses.”
?
What are the people you work with like?
“I work with various trades’ man. There are some iron workers, pipe fitters, laborers, etc. There is a wide range of ages, ethnicities, and experience levels too.”
?
Do you enjoy your line of work?
“I think as a whole, I enjoy it. There are times I would like to be with my family but I can’t always do that. I work long, hard hours and all types of weather conditions. My job is also year-round so I get every type of weather. It is hard at times, but it keeps me on my feet and my family comfortable.”
?
Is your schedule flexible?
“No, not usually. I start very early in the morning and depending on the project, I might have to work later than usual.”
What types of people would you recommend this job to?
“Certainly to men and women interested in the building careers and working with their hands. These types of people have to embrace a lot of responsibility and a non-stop day.”

?
Did your training actually help you?
“It did because I have had the opportunities to work along some of the lines I went to classes for. It provided me a better understanding for the jobs I run. Because of my training, it has made me perform better and I was promoted to higher positions.”
?
If there was one thing you could change, what would it be?
“I would probably change the types of people who run the jobs. I would choose people with more experience because sometimes you get kids straight out of college and they can recite you the rule book or proper way to conduct your job, but they have no experience under their belt. Their inexperience can put your safety in jeopardy sometimes because they don’t really know what to do in certain situations.”
?
Would you ever switch jobs/careers?
“Oh, yeah. After awhile, you can only go so far in my line of business. I’m still young enough for a challenge so I would change but it would have to be fit for me to do. I won’t be going in to neuroscience or anything like that so the next job would have to be fit for me.”
?
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
“The most rewarding would probably have to be to see how all my buildings I have put up in Chicago have helped build the skyline.”
?
Do you see yourself doing this for as long as you can?
“I do unless I am provided with a more interesting opportunity. My new career would have to provide me with satisfaction and provide security for my family.”