I am currently in the 4th year of the Alberta plumbing/gasfitting apprenticeship program on the path to earning a Red Seal journeyman ticket. You might be looking at my past experience wondering, "why the hell is this guy plumbing with his background?"
Well let me tell you....

I graduated high school passionate about music and sound, & followed that passion to the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology (OIART) in London, Ontario. In their condensed, intensive, eleven month long program, I earned an Honours Diploma in Audio Recording Technology. Subsequently, I earned a coveted internship position (1 of 3 available) teaching the following year's students hands-on, in-studio, audio production techniques.
Upon the completion of my internship in 2007, I returned to southern Alberta where I pursued a variety of opportunities in live sound, studio recording, teaching, theatre production & operations, and installing audio/video systems. This eventually lead to working for AV companies with high-profile clientele & proving my "chops" as a live sound specialist. But then, my personal life started to suffer.
Long hours working early mornings, late evenings, & weekends was stressing my relationships which then started stressing me. It was a downward spiral & I wanted out. Cue permaculture.

Permaculture is the combination of all my environmental, sustainable, & personal beliefs from growing up in a small, rural town; but it is also so much more. For me, it was pure inspiration.

With my new found inspiration, I jumped into learning & absorbing as much information I could get my hands on; everything from water conservation to waste reduction to tiny home construction - it was all fair game. Realizing the world was approaching a global freshwater shortage was an eye opener, but it also seemed reversible and like something I could work at making a difference in the world...

Shortly thereafter I registered for apprenticeship training & the rest was history.