Article 11 – Woodworker
By Christopher Charbonneau
Deciding to go back to school is not a decision that can be made lightly. When I decided that it was time to further my own education it was only after years of making excuses. I never thought I would succeed in my studies, neither did I think that I could handle the academic rigour. Furthermore, I always concerned myself with the cost of going back to school. The one thing I never thought of was the feeling of accomplishment and the new opportunities that came from my decision to go back to school. The decision to further my studies was made, and after some time I chose to pursue carpentry and woodworking as my career goal. I entered the program offered by my local college having next to no experience in the field, and a high school transcript that did not instill much confidence. However, when I left, I was a new person.
I have always been an over-thinker when it comes to making large decisions about my life. It was part of the reason it took me so long to decide on going back to school. I always focused on the negatives. I never had a good track record of completing goals that I set for myself, and I never had much confidence in my academic abilities. These feelings stayed with me as I walked through the two large doors that led me into one of the two workshops that would be my second home for the next year. There was a faint smell of freshly cut wood in the air and the remains of projects from the previous years littered throughout the shop. As I made my way up the staircase towards the classroom for my first day, I could see models of different types of structures I assumed we would be building. Our instructor explained that the class would be doing most of our work in this classroom for the first few months as we became familiar with the maintenance and use of the various tools. Learning this, I was a bit more at ease as no one would see me fumble with common power tools as if they were some form of sophisticated technology. Many of the classes I attended for the first few months were entirely based on text work (theory), supplemented with visual learning. It was during this time that I noticed that I was doing well in my studies. I had a newfound sense of confidence in my abilities which was acknowledged by both my peers and instructors. Although there were still areas that I had some difficulties understanding certain steps or phrases, through a desire to prove myself, I overcame challenges that I would normally walk away from. The anxiety over deciding to go back to school never fully went away; however, after all, trades are not careers that revolve around book work.
When the time came for us to begin the hands-on portion of the program, I was as worried as the first day I entered that shop. The expectations in this portion of the program were much higher than before. If you messed up on a task, there was no correcting. Our first task was to practice a set of joints using four pieces of small lumber. You would receive a fifth as an extra but using it meant losing 20% of the final assessment. This would remain a constant throughout the program; there was no room for mistakes. Everything had to be measured precisely or it didnât work with the project you were working on. Incorrect measurements meant a piece was too big or too small and would have to be cut again. Our final task was the culmination of everything we learned as we constructed a sound structure for a client. As we stood there looking at the newly built 10×14 structure with its many lavish features all I could think was âI actually helped build thisâ.
Each time a new task stood before me, I worried as to whether or not I would be able to succeed. But each time, I overcame the challenge. The feeling after each task was one of relief. And after some time, I started having a sense of pride in what I was doing. After our final project, all that was left was to finish up on our last remaining assignments and prepare for graduation. It was at this time that my instructor informed me that I would be receiving a distinction for my efforts. The irony of the whole affair is that I entered this program with little to no confidence in my own academic ability, and no experience with carpentry related work, but I left the program with a sense of accomplishment that to this day still empowers me to take chances. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone in an effort to seek a better future, and it led me to an experience I hold dearly.
About the author: Christopher Charbonneau was born in Ottawa, Ontario and raised in The Pas, Manitoba. Christopher moved to The Pas with his family at the age of 10 transitioning from a life in the city to a life in the small city. Chris is a 5th year student of the Bachelor of Arts and Education Integrated Program with an interest in Math, English, and Science. He enjoys working with technology, problem-solving, and creating narrative, all of which he hopes to incorporate into his teaching.
Instructorâs Remark: Christopher Charbonneau was in my Composition and Rhetoric class of Term 20, 2018. Christopher is a strong writer. This piece is a reflection on the initial challenges which the author encountered in his bid to return to school after a hiatus. Christopherâs piece is an inspiration to the reader that it is never too late to return to school, to pursue any line of study (Joseph Atoyebi PhD).