Every October, contractors, schools and trade organizations across the country take part in Careers in Construction Month. Led by NCCER and Build Your Future, the campaign works to raise awareness of construction career paths, inspire the next generation of craft professionals and change how people think about the industry.
At Modesto Executive Electric, we figured the best way to take part was to hand the microphone to the people who have built their careers here. Our foremen lead crews on school campuses throughout the Central Valley, and between them they bring more than 90 years of experience in the trade. Here’s what they want the next generation to know.
Nobody Starts as an Expert
None of our foremen walked into this trade with a master plan.
Jeff Bordona got his start in the early 1990s as a summer helper, hand digging in the Arizona desert. Kevin Dias came in at 20 expecting a job full of outlets and light switches and instead found himself running shovels and excavators. John Marshall was helping a friend with acoustical ceiling work when he noticed the electricians on site and decided their job looked easy.
“I looked at their pay rate, and I thought, ‘Oh, I could do that.’ Yeah, I was drastically wrong about that,” John said. “There’s a lot more to their job than just what you see.”
Fabian Cervantes started in 2011 changing out lighting at storage facilities. A connection through his brother-in-law led him to our apprenticeship program, and he has been with the company ever since, working his way up to foreman.
Training That Pays You
One theme came up again and again in our conversations: you don’t need a mountain of student debt to build a strong career.
“School isn’t for everyone. You come out of it with a lot of debt. In this trade you don’t,” Fabian said. “It’s all on the job training, and everything’s paid through the work you provide.”
John has watched that play out on his own crew. “We have a gentleman on our crew that came in at 18, he’s 23 years old, and he’s making over $100,000 a year,” he said. “He’s recently purchased a home and has vehicles, and he’s just enjoying life without having to go into debt.”
Work That Keeps You Learning
Electrical construction is rarely the same twice. Kevin has worked on campuses across the region, including Central Valley High School, Waterford High School, Ripon High School and, most recently, a stadium and pool project at Grace M. Davis High School.
“It’s a great trade to be in because we work year-round,” Kevin said. “There’s a lot to it, so you’re learning a lot of different aspects of the electrical trade.”
Jeff once led a Musco stadium lighting retrofit across five Elk Grove campuses in a six-week window. “When the project started, I didn’t think we were gonna pull it off,” he said. “But we actually finished ahead of time.”
Work You Can Be Proud Of
Ask our foremen what keeps them going, and the answers are personal.
For Fabian, it’s his family. “I wanna show them that life ain’t easy and you just gotta get up and go do it sometimes,” he said.
For Kevin, it’s the people. “Honestly, I think it’s the camaraderie with all the guys,” he said. “Over the years you become really good friends with other trades too.”
For Jeff, it’s a moment most people never think about. “That is my favorite part of the job, is seeing the lights come on,” he said. “At the end of the day, everything’s concealed in walls and nobody really realizes what it took to make that light come on.”
And for John, it’s the community those lights serve. “I love electrical, especially the stadium lights, because of the joy it brings to the kids that get to play on the football field,” he said. “To know that generations will be out here playing under these lights is what does it for me.”
Their Advice for the Next Generation
If you’re a student, a career changer or someone who just likes working with your hands, our foremen have a few words for you.
“Definitely join an apprenticeship,” Jeff said. “And be willing to work. Be willing to have a little more gumption than the next guy.”
“Be prepared to work hard,” Kevin added. “It’s a great trade to be in.”
Fabian put it simply: “If you’re comfortable working with tools, and it’s hard work, physical work, but if you’re up for it, I would encourage it.”
Join Our Team
“When people ask me what makes a good career in this industry, I tell them it’s the people you build it with,” says Tori Simpson, President of Modesto Executive Electric. “Every one of our electricians is part of something bigger than one job site.”
Interested in building a career with leaders like Fabian, Jeff, Kevin and John? Explore careers at Modesto Executive Electric.
About Modesto Executive Electric
Tori Simpson, President, and Kevin Simpson, GM and VP, run Modesto Executive Electric. As a woman-owned electrical contracting company, Tori helped build from the ground up which began in 1989. With over 37 years of experience and a focus on innovation, family-oriented culture, and value-driven service, Modesto Executive Electric has grown into a trusted name in government, school district, and large electrical projects across the Central Valley and the Bay Area, California, where clients always receive Superior Service and Executive Treatment.