Role and Company

Control Room Operator, TransCanada Ironwood

Expertise

9 years experience in science & energy

Location

Myerstown, PA

About Joseph

I joined the Navy right out of high school to become a MM. 4 years later I decided that while I loved my brother and sisters-in-arms I wanted more control over my own life and future. I went back home got connected with a head hunting firm (job placement company employers pay for) and landed a job at a combined cycle power plant. Over time I worked my way up qualifying in every area in the plant and working my way up until I was running the control room and my own crew of men. We turn natural gas into 700MW of power with a surprisingly small amount of personal. While we are not even close to some of the biggest facilities out there we are larger then most. We run 2x1 501G Siemens engines.

Over the 9 years I've been here we have always worked 12 hour swing shifts so I have become very adept and balancing personal life with work and other responsibilities that come with home ownership, family tragedy, becoming married, children and step children.
I don't really have hobbies in the traditional sense. I have within the last year taken up hand tool wood working but I have always enjoyed movies. All types of movies (thank you Netflix). From the Hollywood golden age of black and white song and dance hits of the 1930's up to todays. I have always loved them.

While I do not have a college education there is more to learning and education then highschool, college, job. I have went the way of a tradesman. An apprentice then journeyman and so on. Every chance I get I got to seminars or workshops for further my understanding of equipment, tools and computer systems. All of which I need to do my job and direct those under me. I never liked having a supervisor that didn't understand or knew how to do my job when I was younger so I never wanted someone looking at me that way.