Building a future with construction

By Andrew Weeks

Jace Kapla started school with the end goal in mind: “I’d like to find a good job, maybe become a foreman, have a nice life, a nice house.”

The goals – graduation and career – are not unique to this South Dakota student, but they are not as distant as they used to be.

He has one more year of schooling before he graduates from Mitchell Technical College in Mitchell, S.D., where he is pursuing a degree through the school’s Architecture Design and Building Construction program. What’s more, he already has a job lined up for this summer, and plans to keep learning even when he’s off campus.

That’s one of the things he enjoys about his chosen field: the opportunity to learn new things all of the time.

Kapla, originally from Yankton, S.D., started at Mitchell Tech in 2020 and is on track to finish by 2022.

His experience at the school has been only positive; heading to campus feels more like going to a job he loves. While that may say something about the school, it also says a lot about Kapla having chosen the right field for him. When a person pursues something he or she loves, it doesn't feel much like work.

“I get to go be with my buddies and do what I love to do. And, I get to learn something new,” he said. Every day is different.

“They know so much. Those guys have probably forgotten more than I will ever know about construction,” he said of his instructors. “Every day we're doing something, and they'll come over and be like, ‘Hey, why don't you do it this way?’ They'll show me a little trick and I'll be like, ‘Wow, that's a good tool to have in my tool belt.’ I’ve learned so much from them and it's just fun.”

Kapla knows once he’s a fulltime employee, going to work will be a little different; but he is excited about the continued learning opportunities the work provides.

“Whatever job site you go on, everybody has a different way of doing things,” Kapla said. “You can do things a million different ways. … I mean there are different ways of doing things, and that's what I like.”

One teacher he credits for helping get him on his current path was his high school shop teacher. He said he’s worked for contractors in some form and fashion since he was in middle school, but in high school he wasn’t doing as well as he should have been doing. It was his shop teacher who helped him get on track and make important decisions about his future.

“I’ve always liked working with my hands,” Kapla said.

He worked in a manufacturing plant for a period of time, but more thoroughly enjoyed working on building projects with his dad. During his senior year he had a decision to make.

“I determined that (manufacturing) really wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and, since I like working with my hands and seeing progress at the end of the day, this is kind of a good path for me,” he said.

“I was failing geometry and a few other classes and my shop teacher sat me down one day and, with a tape measure, we did some math, geometry and so he associated that with building. You know what I mean, something I could understand.”

He knew then what he wanted to do.

“Now I'm doing really well,” he said.

When Kapla is not in school or working on projects, he often heads outdoors to fish or hunt or find other ways to enjoy nature in the region.

When he hits the workforce, Kapla will be versed not only in construction but in continued on page 38 continued From page 37 some architecture details as well. Mitchell Tech’s program combines the two – architecture and construction – in an effort to help students become more well-rounded and ready for the job market. Kapla said he enjoyed some of the design skills he’s learned, including working with a program called AutoCAD, an architecture and drafting tool; but Kapla’s main interest remains in the construction sector.

But who knows – maybe down the road he’ll get more involved with the architecture side of things, he said. It’s that versatility and opportunity for new things that he enjoys about his field of study.

“Every day you face a challenge,” he said. “Sometimes it's reading a plan and coming to understand that.” Or there may be other challenges, what he calls learning opportunities. “But it's all about how you approach it. I believe in working smarter, not harder. Well, to an extent anwyay. I mean I do some pretty dumb things sometimes, but we're trying to be efficient out there, we're trying to do a project as fast as possible, doing quality work and being efficient, while making sure everybody is safe.”

His advice for other young people seeking a similar career path: don’t decide right away to start your own company.

He said he hears all the time how students want to start their own business.

“They say I'm going to be a carpenter, I'm going to own my own company someday,” he said. “You guys don't know what goes into that. And I know, I've seen it firsthand. Many guys get out of school … and say I'm going to be my own boss and it doesn't work out.” Instead, he advises, find a job and stay there for a while. “Learn what you're supposed to be doing, and then determine if you really want to have your own business.”

It is advice he is taking to heart. For Kapla, he just wants to settle with a good company and move up the career ladder from there. “I guess I just want to master what I do and get good at that, and then take on the next challenge,” he said. “That might be becoming a foreman or that might be becoming a lead man. I want to get to be proficient at what I do, and then move on.”

Scott Bertrand

Enclave hires project manager

WEST FARGO, N.D. • Enclave, a development, construction and management company headquartered in West Fargo, has hired Scott Bertrand as project manager in the Twin Cities metro.

A graduate of Minnesota State University Mankato, Bertrand joins Enclave with five years of experience as project manager, project engineer and construction manager. Most recently, he served as project manager at Lyon Construction. Bertrand will oversee Enclave’s construction projects in the Twin Cities from start to finish while supporting the organization’s mission of creating spaces where people are inspired to do their best work and live their best life.

Travis Wilson

KLJ promotes team member to recruitment manager

BISMARCK, N.D. • KLJ Engineering has promoted Travis Wilson to the position of recruitment manager.

He stepped into the interim recruitment manager role in March and now takes on the role officially. As KLJ’s recruitment manager he will lead the company’s recruitment efforts and ensure recruitment practices align with the strategic growth of the organization.

Wilson, who has worked in the company’s Human Resources department since April 2019, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and human resources management from the University of Mary. He is a Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and has a wealth of experience in talent recruitment, human resources, and business administration.

Interstate Engineering welcomes new planner

HORACE, N.D. • Interstate Engineering has welcomed Alheen Mahmud to the Horace, N.D., office. As a planner, Mahmud joins the team with a Master’s in Development Practice degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She is certified in GIS and project management. She specializes in economics, economic development, quantitative and qualitative research, public policy, and governance. Her knowledge and drive to succeed will enhance Interstate Engineering’s diverse team.

Alheen hopes to make an impact at Interstate Engineering by bringing her enthusiasm and passion to the team.

Corie Ereth

KLJ member awarded Federal Dakota Skipper survey permit BISMARCK, N.D. • Corie Ereth, senior environmental planner at KLJ, has been awarded a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that allows her to complete Dakota Skipper butterfly surveys.

Dakota Skippers are an endangered species and their habitats and potential habitats are protected. Part of ensuring their safety and population recovery is performing scientific research surveys that analyze migration patterns, populations, and habitat use.

Ereth will be one of only a handful of people completing this important work across the Midwest. Over the past few years, she went the extra mile by shadowing permitted surveyors during the brief annual Dakota Skipper flight period to gain valuable field experience.

She is an expert in environmental conservation and rangeland research, and has worked in coordination with private landowners, local, state, federal, and Tribal agencies. She is proficient in plant and ecological site identification and biological and botanical surveys.

Ereth earned her master’s degree in range science and her bachelor’s degree in animal and range sciences from North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.

Apex hires engineer technician

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. •

Joey Jurvakainen joins Apex as an engineering technician in Detroit Lakes. He is part of the municipal group and brings experience in both engineering and electrical. He earned an associates degree in Applied Science and Technology in Engineering from Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash.

Allyse Steffen

Paulsen promotes team member to senior account specialist

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. • Allyse Steffen was recently promoted to senior account specialist at Paulsen.

In this new position, Steffen will continue to manage day-to-day client-agency relationships and provide strategic insight and recommendations that impact our clients for the future.

She is excited to step into her new role.

Steffen grew up in Brookings and graduated from the University of South Dakota with degrees in business administration and contemporary media and journalism.

Red River Regional Council adds to new faces to its team

GRAFTON, N.D. • The Red River Regional Council staff has recently added two new staff to its team, Jacob Schmuck and Jake Wiensch.

Both have been initially tasked with completing more than 100 one-on-one business interviews in the region to learn more about the COVID-19 impacts, challenges, and opportunities as well as ideas for the future as part of a regional recovery/resiliency planning initiative.

Jacob Schmuck is a Grafton native and is excited to grow the regional community he calls home. He received a Bachelor of Business and Public Administration degree in Marketing from the University of North Dakota. He previously served as a search engine manager for Digi-Key’s European accounts.

Schmuck and his wife, Joelle, have two young boys and he loves spending family time in the outdoors. He also enjoys movies, so it would be inadvisable to challenge him to cinematic trivia.

Jake Wiensch earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of Wisconsin – Stout.

He has previous economic/community development experience from working at Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Here he analyzed and worked to improve the standard of living and business conditions in his geographic area.

Originally from Cadott, Wis., where he grew up on a small hobby farm, Wiensch loves the outdoors and adventure, including traveling, hiking, and biking.