Jake Lewis grew up in a family of carpenters. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all carpenters. When Lewis graduated Plum Senior High School, he chartered his own path, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice, a minor in organizational leadership, and a certificate in middle eastern studies from Slippery Rock University. After he began work, Lewis had a realization. He reflects, “I am a fourth generation union carpenter in my family. I was around the business my whole life and it took a boring desk job to open my eyes and to follow a career path that I enjoyed. My favorite part of both of my jobs are the people that I get to be around. They are some of the hardest working individuals that I have had the pleasure of knowing.”
Lewis now works as a union carpenter for Easley and Rivers, one of the largest contractors in Pittsburgh. He also serves in the Pennsylvania Army National guard, as a Captain in the 1-110th infantry as a battalion fire support officer. He explains, “When I am working construction, I am one of the lead layout people on the new Pitt stadium that my company is building in Oakland. I take all blueprints and give the crews direction on how to build whatever is on the prints. On the National Guard side I coordinate artillery, aviation, ground units, and the Air Force to ensure soldiers on the ground are safe and can use those assets if they need them.” His time in the Plum Borough School District instilled fundamental people skills that he draws on in his careers. Lewis notes, “One of the biggest things that PBSD did for me was get me ready to work as part of a team. I still remember being part of the telethon in TV class in the back part of the studio knowing that the harder I worked, the easier it would be on everyone else, in turn making their jobs easier and the final product better.”
He encourages students to lean into adaptability in their life. “be flexible and embrace change. Life is unpredictable and most of the time out of your control. Try and make the best of every situation.”
