By Paul Stinson, with additional reporting by Kathy Swartz and Sydney Kim
When he started his freshman year at Crockett Early College High School, Andrew Garcia wanted to go into theater and build stage props. As he was signing up, he was told that if he wanted to do theater, he should sign up for construction.
Now, he has found himself hoping to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who owns his own construction company. Discovering this new passion was a happy coincidence.
I chose it by accident, Andrew said of his entry into the field. I did take theater for a little bit, but I gotta say I love construction more.
While Andrew is steadily amassing a collection of completed projectsincluding chicken coopshis curiosity for how things work took off in middle school when he decided to take apart a PlayStation 2.
I got bored one day and I just grabbed one of my grandpas screwdrivers and just started unscrewing it, he said. Im a very hands-on person. If Im not doing something I get very bored.
Starting construction in the throes of the pandemic meant that Andrew was often the only one physically in class as he sought additional help on early assignments, like building a mini-shed.
That provided an ideal setting to work extensively with construction teacher and mentor Colin Bugge, who showed him the ropes for using the miter saw to cut angles.
Because there was nobody there, I basically got his full attention which was awesome, Andrew said. But he also didnt give me too much attention so I could learn how to do it on my own. In the end, I think the shed came out pretty good.
During his senior year, Andrew plans to take a course in electrical work at Austin Community College in preparation for trade school after graduation.
Bajo el reflector del CTE: Andrew Garc穩a, estudiante del grado 11 de la escuela de Crockett, forj獺ndose una carrera en la construcci籀n
Por Paul Stinson, con informaci籀n adicional de Kathy Swartz y Sydney Kim
Cuando inici籀 su primer a簽o en la Escuela Preparatoria de Universidad Temprana Crockett Andrew Garc穩a quer穩a dedicarse al teatro y a la construcci籀n de escenograf穩as. Cuando se estaba inscribiendo, le dijeron que, si quer穩a hacer teatro, deb穩a inscribirse en las clases de construcci籀n.
Ahora, se ha encontrado con la esperanza de seguir los pasos de su abuelo, que tiene su propia compa簽穩a de construcci籀n. Descubrir esta nueva pasi籀n fue una feliz coincidencia.
"Lo escog穩 por accidente", dice Andrew sobre su incursi籀n en este campo. "Me dediqu矇 al teatro durante un tiempo, pero tengo que decir que me gusta m獺s la construcci籀n".
Mientras Andrew acumula una colecci籀n de proyectos terminados, incluyendo gallineros, su curiosidad por el funcionamiento de las cosas se desat籀 en la escuela secundaria cuando decidi籀 desarmar un PlayStation 2.
"Un d穩a me aburr穩 y tom矇 uno de los destornilladores de mi abuelo y empec矇 a desarmarlo", dijo. "Soy una persona muy activa. Si no estoy haciendo algo me aburro mucho".
Empezar la construcci籀n en plena pandemia significaba que Andrew era a menudo el 繳nico estudiante presente f穩sicamente en la clase, ya que buscaba ayuda adicional en las primeras tareas, como la construcci籀n de un mini-cobertizo.
Eso le facilit籀 un escenario ideal para trabajar extensivamente con el maestro de construcci籀n y mentor, Colin Bugge, que le ense簽籀 las destrezas para usar la sierra de inglete para cortar 獺ngulos.