Six years ago, Local 1281 member Oleksandr ”Oleks” Lushchyk moved to Alaska from the lower 48 without much of a plan. As fate would have it, one of the first people he met was a Union Apprentice, who asked if he’d ever consider joining the union. He hadn’t thought about it until then, but recalled the projects he built while growing up and remembered that he enjoyed working with his hands.
Before relocating to Alaska, he’d earned a degree in chemistry, but working in the lab wasn’t fulfilling, and the appeal of being in a more hands-on profession compelled him to join. Plus, he was reassured that he’d get paid with benefits while developing professional carpentry skills. The time and energy he spent training in the Apprenticeship quickly paid off. Oleks is now a Journeyman Carpenter working on large-scale infrastructure projects in Alaska. He is also active in his Local Union carrying the roles of Delegate and Trustee.