Team Player

Caden Buckingham had a head start in the construction industry, having worked alongside his father in a roofing business. But he wanted to broaden his skill set and grow his career potential, and Construction Ready’s Pre-Apprenticeship training helped him do just that.

Caden graduated with Opelika Group 1, part of a partnership with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers. With training sites in west Georgia and east Alabama, Construction and Ready and Goodwill have given students like Caden skills, support, and confidence to succeed in construction-oriented careers. In Caden’s case, he is building his future with Columbus, Georgia-based Alexander Electric, and he has set goals of becoming a journeyman electrician, leading his own crew, and eventually owning his own company.

“I worked in the restaurant industry and also spent a lot of time working alongside my father in roofing,” says Caden, a native of LaGrange, Georgia, and now a resident of Auburn, Alabama. “I’ve always enjoyed hands-on work. Construction felt like the right path for me because it allows me to work hard, learn valuable skills, and build something meaningful.

“Growing up around construction had a major impact on me,” he adds. “My interest in Construction Ready came directly from my desire to build a career in the trades.”

In Caden’s view, the Construction Ready-Goodwill training experience exceeded his expectations.

“The program opened my eyes to safety, teamwork, and professionalism on the jobsite,” he says. “My instructors made me feel at home. It felt like I had family in the classroom. Every day I came in motivated because everyone around me was working toward a better future. Seeing people push themselves to reach their goals was inspiring.”

After completing the program, Caden was matched with Thalamus, LLC, an electrical and data contractor serving the Auburn-Opelika area. While beginning to build experience in the electrical trade, he also did some gutter installation. Then he decided to focus solely on electrical work, as that’s where he sees his future. Caden moved to Alexander Electric when he received an offer for a U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship.

“What I enjoy most is working with people, solving problems together, and figuring things out as a team,” he says. “There’s an amazing feeling that comes from seeing a project come together. You can walk into an empty building and help bring power and light to it. Knowing your work made that happen is a great feeling.”

Caden speaks a lot about teamwork and encouragement, values he shares with the Construction Ready teaching team. He came away from his Pre-Apprenticeship class equipped to be a helpful teammate.

The program, he say, “taught me to look at situations from different perspectives and to always help others when they need it. You never know what someone else is going through. If you see someone struggling, help them out. One day they may be the person helping you. Looking out for each other is important.”

Like many young professionals entering the workforce, Caden has faced challenges along the way. Rather than allowing obstacles to discourage him, he uses them as motivation: “Every experience teaches you something. I’ve learned to stay positive, keep growing, and focus on becoming better every day.”

To anyone considering Construction Ready training, Caden offers these words: “I would tell them to go for it. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. From day one, I felt welcomed. The instructors cared, the staff cared, and everyone wanted to see you succeed. You feel like people genuinely want to teach you and help you build a better future.”