Owen Batista

I'm a studious and hard-working 23-year old looking to earn a place in the Skilled Trades to fulfill my goals of being a certified plumber. I'm currently looking for a construction helper position to help introduce me to in-field work experience, and to be able to show the business that I can be reliable and resourceful to earn my place in the plumbing industry. I can be very reliable, and up to any challenge if it helps further my goals.

I have an adult autism diagnosis, as well as OCD and ADHD, but I haven't let that stop me from pursuing my goals in life. I would be a valuable member to the team though my commitment, and desires to grow. You won't find a more dedicated worker than me.

My introduction to the plumbing and HVAC industry started at Reliance Home Comfort, a Canadian-based Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical, company that employed me as a warehouse helper/runner in the Cambridge Area. My experiences and responsibilities revolved around supplying water heaters, and water softeners to the HVAC technicians and plumbers as they arrived at the warehouse, requesting supplies and equipment for their daily installs, as well as making sure the warehouse was clean, and fully stocked with inventory from the arriving trucks. Though I was never able to secure an apprenticeship from the company, I was able to learn from the experiences of certified plumbers and HVAC technicians based off their own experiences in the fields.

I was also called on the ride along with installers, as they requested assistance with removing old tech, as well as heaters and softeners, and I was requested to supply the installers with the proper tools and equipment as they installed the replacements. While it is true that I never truly did “progress”, at Reliance's warehouse, I did earn my experiences in the same way every aspiring tradesperson takes their first baby steps in the industry, by working a lower-laddered position and watching from the sidelines, and assisting with the smaller tasks first. I did learn as well too, the value of staying loyal to a company, and sticking to a long-term goal, even if it will eventually take 5-years of continual training to do so.

That is why I now continue my journey to become a plumber elsewhere, so that I may finally secure my future as a tradesman, and help restore Canada's tradesperson population back to it's original number. Just like it was years ago.

My first ever training for the plumbing skilled trade began back in High School around the year 2015, when I was in the 9th grade. I had started taking construction courses like woodworking, general construction and manufacturing, as well as welding to earn my specialist high skills major in Construction, as well as taking a co-op as a maintenance worker at Chartwell Retirement Residence to earn community service hours. With those courses complete, I graduated in 2020 with a Construction S.H.S.M.

Then, One year later, in 2021, I attended Conestoga College in the Waterloo region. Where I attended their Mechanical Techniques - Plumbing course. While it wasn't an official pre-apprenticeship course, it was designed to introduce people to the Plumbing trade, and teach you the basic and intermediate aspects of the plumbing trade.

I learned how to use various types of pipes, from ABS, CPVC, Cast-Iron, black iron, and Copper. As well as how to solder copper pipes. The final project of term 1, revolved around combining the multiple types of pipe used throughout the terms, as well as woodworking with plywood to build an open-faced cube, for which we poured our respective batches of hand mixed concrete to form a cube to fit the pipes through.

When the second term came to it's end, my final assignment was to draw blueprints of my own design, and build a rough-in of a bathroom, piece by piece. I was able to complete both assignments by the respected due dates, and pass the course with over 80%, earning an honor roll certificate. Those two achievements have continued to serve me in my journey to become a licensed plumber.