Page 70 - At Home Prince Edward County

was shelved. “It’s a 40 YEARS AND
shame because that’s GOING STRONG
where it needs to Joel has seen people
start.” come and go in busi-
Joel recalls how a ness over the years,
couple of the guys and not just electrical.
who apprenticed for He’s always enjoyed
him had no idea they the work and still
wanted to do electri- does, but he admits he
cal. “They just tried it doesn’t put in quite the
and liked it and did same amount of hours
very well at it. A cou- as he did 30 years ago.
ple of others came to “I enjoy the people,
me because they the work and the chal-
wanted to get into lenges. Most of my
electrical, but a few customers are 100%
came to me because bar none. That’s why I
they just wanted a job – and they have been am still doing it.”
very successful.“ He couldn’t have imagined working as
Joel is proud of the apprentices he has an electrician all these years later and still
trained over the years. “Some of my best enjoying it, but says he never had a desire
competitors apprenticed with me, and I feel to do anything else. Small farms were the
good about that, and that they have done backbone of his business when he first set
well,” he says, adding, “my boss did it for out, but there are fewer of them now.
me, I learned a lot with the electrician I As a small family-run operation, they
worked for to get my licence, and I feel don’t take on huge jobs. “I do a lot of resi-
good that I’ve helped these guys some.” dential renovations and a fair amount of
farm work, agricultural with small wineries
TECHNOLOGY and breweries,” he says. “I’ve built up a
Things in the industry have changed vastly really good customer base over the years, a
with the introduction of technology. He lot of customers that keep coming back,
laughs when he says, “anything that is re- and that’s why we are so busy I believe.”
ally technical, I don’t even look at anymore. He puts his success down to a trail of
I let the boys deal with that!” Joel mentions good employees over many years. “I’m not
the amount of programming and technical going to say my wife and I did it all because
stuff involved today, programming done we didn’t, we had some very good
on cellphones, switches, cameras and so on. employees which has a lot to do with my
“I leave that totally to my younger people, success.”
I don’t even try,” he grins. “As long as the He is quick to add he has had great cus-
basic electrical is done properly, that is my tomers too. “I’ve got some customers I’ve
main concern.” worked with for almost the whole 40 years:
He points out that while the younger that makes me feel good too. I want people
generation is teaching the older ones about to realize they deserve as much of the credit
the latest technical gadgetry, his role is as I do. I wouldn’t be in business without
teaching young apprentices the fundamen- them.” As for the future, Joel is hoping his
tal concepts of wiring – especially in older grandkids get involved in the trades too.
homes, something younger trainees often “Although they do have a ways to go!”
aren’t familiar with. “Nothing teaches you he laughs.
like hands-on experience.”

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