Tell us a little bit about yourself. I am a 37-year-old married, father of three. Currently I am a department manager at Glenroy, Inc., where I oversee a 24/7 operation consisting of four crews, four extrusion coating lines, and the ancillary equipment needed to run the process. I have been employed at Glenroy, Inc. for almost 18 years. Along with being a department manager, I am a business owner alongside my wife and father-inlaw. Why did you decide to get involved with the trades? I got involved in the trades at the age of 19 when I was encouraged by a family friend to apply at his place of work. I was just starting my family and looking to get out of my low-paying dead-end job. I knew that to provide for my family properly, joining the trades was the way to go. What led you to your current career path? After getting my entry level job at Glenroy, Inc. and seeing my co-worker’s success of growing with the company, I knew I chose the correct path. Working for a company that is willing to provide you with knowledge to grow and succeed, while also promoting within has been great. I was able to start as an operator assistant and learned the ins and outs of my job, while always striving to learn more. This led to being promoted to a machine operator and really digging into my trade. I took this passion of running the equipment and wanting to learn as much as I could, and I was able to work my way into a supervisor roll, overseeing one of our four crews in my department. Through hard work and proving myself, I was able to secure the manager roll when it opened up. What is the hardest part about being in the trades? The hardest part about being in the trades is convincing people that they can make a living and career by joining the trades. What’s your favorite part about your job? The favorite part of my job is sharing my knowledge and helping others grow and succeed. Without having my mentors at Glenroy, I would not be on my path of growth and success. Being able to have the opportunity to become a mentor myself and helping others to grow and succeed is very rewarding. What would you say to someone who wants to get involved in the trades? Don’t be afraid to join the trades. It may seem overwhelming at first, but the opportunities are endless for growth and advancement. If you put in the time and prove you have passion and drive, your growth potential will not go unnoticed and be rewarded within the trades. • ELI COOK Extrusion Coating Process Manager, Glenroy, Inc. SPOTLIGHT ON THE TRADES WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 24
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