Eric Averkamp

Background

About Eric Averkamp

Growing up I lived at the end of a country road. Living any rural child's life doing hay for our cattle, sawing lumber in our saw mill, and doing chores/maintenance for all our animals. After graduating high school I began a journey to a diversity of jobs. Starting as an Avian Field Technician for the Federal Government. This was a seasonal opportunity. It consisted of locating migrating songbirds and recording their reproductive progress via a custom computer program. This job transitioned over to being on the maintenance team doing a wide variety of basic physical tasks. Afterward I worked at Flex House Gym for a couple years. After that, some construction with a small company called Constructive Creations. After a season there, an Electrical company got a contract with Upper Mississippi Science Center, where I worked previously. Their contract was only for a period of months. After getting in with them (Epic Energy) I quickly advanced from prepping and unboxing fixtures, to installing them as well. Toward the end, the other employees went off to new locations, and the company kept me on site to finish the last few weeks of the contract on my own. My friend and I then went out on our own. Starting a little thing called ‘Traveling Transformations’ and headed for New Orleans to restore/remodel a Double Shotgun Greek Revival house. This job consisted of many trades. Electrical, rough and finish carpentry, plumbing, tiling, painting, custom restoration of antique doors and flooring. Periodically even assisting the homeowner with his landscaping business as well. After that year my partner moved on and I stayed to work on a Bed and Breakfast in the same trade. I lived on site, and pulled away primary projects to assist in emergency repairs for the homeowner also. Even assisted in the owners business, helping at parties, and picking up guests at the airport and such. It was a very socially broadening experience and exposed me to many different people from different walks of life. Afterward, my career at Local 1143 Carpenters Union started. There was a very diversified list of skill-sets here that are a bit surprising. A quick list of them are; steel stud framing, dry walling, tiling, paver installation, concrete projects, painting, electrical, plumbing, brick and block work, iron work, black top patching, hedge and tree trimming, machine operation (skid steers, forklifts, etc.) I've maintained City Parks for Lacrosse. But after a couple seasons the bidding competition was so financially low it did not warrant my continued participation.