mikeroweWORKS Foundation

Albert's father traveled the world when he served 30 years in the military. He told his son about these travels and the life lessons they taught him. "Something he instilled in me early on," Albert tells us, was that "no matter what role I'm in, be the best at it." Albert embraced this mindset as he grew up, such as when he competed in state-wide long jump competitions for his high school. He believed that if he worked hard good things would happen, and they did. Horizon Airlines hired him as a flight attendant in 2018 and fulfilled his lifelong goal of working in aviation. He enjoyed being around travelers and the flight benefits program he could share with family members like his mom. Through conversations he had with Horizon Air pilots, he became determined to become a pilot himself. He went on to pursue the education he needed to get there with the help of a MRW work ethic scholarship. Today, he is completing his pilot training program at Central Oregon Community College. He ultimately wants to be an international pilot and explore the world like his dad.

Last week, we had our first in-person instructor training for our work ethic curriculum, where college and high school teachers from nine different states delved into the meaning behind the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge. Our curriculum is now being implemented in 53 colleges and high schools around the country. Shout out to the curriculum team for putting in the hard work! (last photo 💪) Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gbyvN7Cu

She may be repairing turbine engines now, but for Carla Elam, the path to becoming an aviation tech was anything but a smooth takeoff. Her father was an A&P mechanic for United, and he inspired Carla’s love of traveling and the smell of jet fuel at a young age, so much so that she wanted to follow in his footsteps. Then life happened, and Carla had a new love—her first child. At the age of 25, she had three energetic boys, so she put a pause on her aviation dreams. Instead, she worked a variety of odd jobs, including time at an insectary where she helped raise maggots and a stint at Whole Foods in the years after. While at Whole Foods, she won a company-wide essay writing contest, which allowed her to take a trip to visit Whole Foods suppliers in Brazil. This trip was the first time she had travelled solo since having kids, and it made her determined to find a way into aviation work. At the age of 44, she became an empty nester and got her chance—she applied for a mikeroweWORKS scholarship, graduated from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Indiana, and got hired by United Airlines at Chicago O'Hare Airport. She is now a night-shift technician, tasked with servicing hydraulic systems, cabin structures, and other troubles that arise. It's challenging work, but she's up for the challenge, and the United flight benefits program has allowed her to take a trip every month. She's even travelled enough to build a dirt collection of every place she's visited, most recently at the glacial lakes of Iceland. In her words, "I couldn't be happier.”

That's Tyler, throwing up his "rock on" hands as he fulfills his duties as a lead tower technician in Washington State. He describes himself as a lineman Swiss-Army-knife, "doing a little bit of everything" for contractors like Pacific Gas and Electric and the U.S. Military. He helps erect towers over 40 feet in the air, create antenna systems, and ground grids for new buildings. Sometimes, he has to perform these serious jobs in multiple inches of snow. These winter storms can cause widespread power outages, and it's on lineman such as Tyler to step in and get the lights back on. However, there's another reason Tyler circles this time of the year on his calendar. He has always been a junkie for outdoor, terrain vehicle riding. He started with dirt bikes as a young man, but now he's built his own custom Toyota Wheelers to whip around the snow-laden paths near his home. So if you're in Washington State this winter, look up at the mountains. You may see Tyler steadily climbing an electrical tower, or a hot-rod red Toyota wheeler streaking along a slope.

Carson wanted two things after he graduated high school: to study plumbing and live near his hometown of Waco, Texas. He found both by attending Texas State Technical College, where he graduated in 2023 with his girlfriend, Audrey, by his side. Carson completed multiple internships in his time at TSTC. As a result, Lochridge Priest, a building contractor in the area, hired him a month after he removed his cap and gown. He was excited and eager to get to work. However, his exuberance was tested when he was assigned his first job: to route all of the drainage pipes for a new luxury hotel. Carson was hesitant at first but soon embraced the challenge while recognizing where he would need help. He applied the skills he had learned, and when he didn’t know how to use a troublesome tool or attach a particular pipe, he knew who to ask for guidance. To unwind after a workday, Carson played golf in the evenings with his family. Concentrating on his swing, stance, and breath reminded him to stay calm under pressure. That mindset gave Carson the confidence to complete the project in less than a seven-month timeline. He finished routing all the pipes for the hotel and was recognized for his outstanding work. You could say, his work ethic was up to par.

Some kids play sports, others obsess over superhero movies, but for Matthew, it was those mowers the landscapers around his neighborhood used that excited him. After high school, he pursued an automotive tech degree to learn the inner mechanics of mowers. He graduated in 2020 and got a technician job in his uncle's automotive repair shop. Like many others at the time, the pandemic forced Matthew to adjust course in his career. He took the opportunity to start his own landscaping business. He founded "Mowing Matters" that same year. The business provided him with new work opportunities and got him back to doing what he most enjoyed. Since then, his business has grown to 30 employees, and Matthew is sitting on top of the world--or lawnmower, depending on the job that day.

Houston graduated from Belmont College’s Building Preservation & Restoration Program in 2020 and quickly found work as an intern for the National Park Service. She started in their Historic Preservation Training Center, working on federally owned buildings up and down the east coast. She got hired as a full-time employee six months into the job and began working with woodcrafters, using modern tools to produce historically accurate results over the course of the next year. While she loved working for the National Park Service and the opportunity to travel, she wanted to find a place to call home. In 2022, she found a new opportunity with a heavy timber construction company in Maryland. She has worked there for the past couple of years on projects, like the total restoration of a timber frame barn—a project she described as quite an undertaking. Still, Houston embraces the challenges of her job. “Overall, I really enjoy what I do,” she tells us. “I love a good puzzle, and much of restoration is quite the puzzle.”

“Perkins hits it through the uprights!” is something San Diego State University football fans might have heard on game days a couple of years ago. Conor was a division one, college football kicker, giving his parents plenty to be proud of. Eventually, it was time to hang up the cleats, and for Conor to find work he excelled at like he did on the gridiron. He began that search working in construction, and after some time on the job, realized he’d need to learn a specific skill to level up in his career. So, he graduated with a plumbing degree. He now works for a commercial plumbing company, with jobs that can range from fixing a middle-school’s heating system (pictured here) to a toilet in an office building. At home, Conor’s three-year-old and one-year-old keep him busy with their endless energy. He says his kids haven’t picked up his athletic streak yet, but perhaps football awaits them in their future, and a life in the trades like dad!

Have you ever seen pigs this little? These piglets were actually Kaleigh's personal litter! She raised them until they were 5 years old, before selling them to a farm when she went to college and dedicated her career to working on ranches full time. She has worked on all kinds of ranches, and those baby hogs she's holding are from her internship last year at a hog confinement. Kaleigh now works as a ranch hand in Nebraska, taking care of the ranch's general uptake and operations. She's been working on farms since she was 16 years old, and has always kept herself surrounded by animals.

Brady graduated from Elite Lineman Training Institute in Cartersville, Georgia two years ago, with the support of his dad. Within months he was hired to work for the city of Marietta, Georgia, and since then he's been working to keep the lights on in his community. Recently, he helped repair broken power lines damaged from a tornado. He remembers the faces of people he helped after the storm, as his presence provided them with a sense of calm. Outside of work, Brady likes building things with his hands. He recently built a seven foot long, farm house table for his girlfriend's mother's birthday. Talk about making a good impression!