Kim Kees, a Carpenter Apprentice 1st Period from Local 944, was recently hired to work on the 6th St Viaduct Replacement Project as part of the team constructing falsework. She is a Southern California native, born in Bellflower CA and raised in the Inland Empire.
Kees was inspired to pursue a career in construction and follow in the footsteps of her father who worked as a plumber. Later in her career, she was introduced to SSW Jobs Coordinator, Veronica Diaz, through the "BOOTS Program" with the Carpenters Union. BOOTS, which stands for " Bridging Outstanding Opportunities with Tradeswomen Skills ", is a pre-apprenticeship program specifically developed to provide hands-on training for women to succeed in the carpentry trade.
Construction can be an exciting career path for anyone who is looking for a challenging and rewarding profession. Kim especially enjoys the fast pace of work and says, "As an apprentice, you have to quickly learn the tools and overall knowledge to succeed because failure is not an option." Kim defines some of her key attributes as strength, a positive attitude and the eagerness to learn! She is also part of a Political Action Committee with the union and is committed to be a leader in the industry, encouraging more women to pursue a career in the construction field.
Kees is excited to be working with the Skanska Stacy and Witbeck Crew, she is a team player and motivated to build a new iconic bridge for L.A.
