2020 Apprenticeship Openings

As we gear up for a very busy summer here at James CRAFT & Son it is once again time for us to open up our apprenticeship program and fill our available spaces with men and women who are ready and willing to accept the challenge.
What is an apprentice you ask? Apprentices are men and women who are formally enrolled in our Federally Approved Apprenticeship Program. Apprentices work in their assigned trades while attending classes in subjects related to the trade for a minimum of 144 hours per year, each year of their apprenticeship.  Tuition fees are paid by the Company—additional materials paid by the apprentice.
This program is the heart and soul of James CRAFT & Son many of our current Project Manager, Estimators, Foreman and Lead People once started out in our Apprenticeship Program. The education and formal trading gained in this program is second to none.
For 2020 we have openings in our Plumbing/Pipe-fitting Program, Electrician Program, & our Sheet Metal Program. We will be accepting applications from April 20th to  May 1st, 2020. Applicants must apply in person and are required to provide the documentation listed below.
Individuals interested in becoming an apprentice must apply in person and furnish copies of the following non-returnable materials:

  1. Proof of age (copy for our records of birth certificate or similar document).
  2. Copy of High School Diploma or GED Certificate, if applicable.
  3. Transcripts of Last Grade Completed from Guidance Department of school attended.
  4. Proof of Trade Work Experience, if any (letter from employer noting experience).
  5. Form 214 for Veterans applying. Other forms may be needed.
  6. Three Letters of Reference from acquaintances, other than family.

For more information about the program, check out our Careers Section of the website or call Jessica (Director of Human Resources) at 717-266-6629.

2019 Safety Day

On Friday, December 13, 2019 James CRAFT & Son held its annual Safety Day at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in West York. Safety Day is important at CRAFT – our entire company comes together from various jobsites, customer locations and the office to focus on up and coming industry safety trends, refresh our current safety skills and celebrate another year of success as a company. This year’s safety topics included Blood-borne Pathogen Training, Ladder Safety, Driver Safety Training, as well as Lifting & Jobsite Ergonomics. Employees also spent time learning about updates to their Employees Benefits, available ancillary benefits, and our new Employee Portal. It wouldn’t be Safety Day without recognizing our amazing employees for their safety and years of service accomplishments. This year’s honorees were:

Safety Awards

5 Year Safety Award Winners (L to R): Jason Glatfelter, Mike Hunt, Denny Poff, Dennis Judy, Joe Patterson, Jason Smith (not pictured)
10 Year Safety Award Winner: Ryan Nickol
20 Year Safety Award Winners (L to R): Guy Pandolfino, John Myers
25 Year Safety Award Winner: Steve Witmer

Years of Service Awards

Leon Goudy – 20 Years
Fred Craft – 40 Years

Recent Awards of Excellence

Congratulations! James CRAFT & Son recently had a very successful night at the 30th Annual ABC Excellence in Construction Awards Gala.

Excellence Awards were received for the following projects:

  • LGH Stauffer Overbuild project (HVAC over $5 Million)
  • Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church HVAC Upgrades (HVAC $250,000 to $1 Million)

Additionally LGH Stauffer Overbuild was awarded PROJECT OF THE YEAR!

Congratulations to everyone for your hard work and efforts towards this win.

Living the STRESS FREE Life!

Stress!  We all deal with it – in one form or another – in varying degrees.  But what is stress?  Scientifically “stress” can be explained as a nervous system response that is built into all of us.  Everyone faces various circumstance through life that can cause stress, but unfortunately many of us create our own stress.  For example, researchers conclude that 1 out of 2 people MUST check their email or social media before going to bed, and many of those same people wake up in the middle of the night to check it.  That’s what I would call “electronic intrusion”.  Someone once said, “electronics are a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.”  I agree!

So how can we deal with stress?  Maybe we can’t fully eliminate it, but perhaps we can better equip ourselves to handle it, or even minimize the effects it has on us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  Consider these tips…

10 Essentials to Having a Stress Free/Peaceful Life…

  1. Breathe Deeply

    – A few slow deep breaths when feeling stress can be very helpful, and will lower your heart rate.

  2. Drink Plenty of Water

    – Some experts recommend drinking at least half your body weight in ounces each day.

  3. Sleep Restfully

    – Get the proper amount of uninterrupted sleep for you, we’re all different.

  4. Eat Nutritiously

    – A balanced diet is important, give your body the best chance at being healthy.

  5. Enjoy Activities

    – Have fun, lighten up, laugh, enjoy life, get out once in awhile.

  6. Give & Receive Love

    – We all need love and we all have love to give, it’s who we are.

  7. Be Forgiving

    – Holding unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting it to hurt the other person.

  8. Practice Gratitude

    – “The seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart.” – Andy Andrews

  9. Develop Acceptance

    “Grant me serenity to accept what I cannot change, courage to change things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

  10. Develop a Relationship with God

    – Spiritually healthy people are happy people.

 

 

Apprenticeship Signing Day – August 2019

Earlier this month we held our first ever Apprenticeship Signing Day here at James CRAFT & Son.  We spent the afternoon welcoming our newest apprentices and going over the details of their program, which will be starting in just a few short weeks.  This year we have a bumper crop of apprentices, representing three areas of skilled trades: Plumbing Mechanic, Sheet Metal Mechanic & HVAC Technician.

Please join me in welcoming the Class of 2023!

Plumbing Apprentices:

  • David Barth
  • TJ Craft
  • Zachary Hagerman
  • Jonathan Hollinger
  • Nathan Mummert
  • Trenton Potts (non pictured)
  • Lucas Teare
  • Nickolas Young

Sheet Metal Apprentice:

  • Katherine Hoover

HVAC Technician Apprentices:

  • Steven Bach
  • Carmen Duca
 
 
Clockwise L to R: Nate Mummert (Plbg), David Barth (Plbg), Steven Bach (HVAC), TJ Craft (Plbg)
L to R: Luke Teare (Plbg), Zach Hagerman (Plbg)
Clockwise L to R: Jon Hollinger (Plbg), Nick Young (Plbg), Carmen Duca (HVAC), Katherine Hoover (Sheet Metal)

Our Incredible Staff!

Every so often we update our office/admin staff photos – this summer we did it again, which you can see below.  These folks are among the finest in the industry at providing the critical help and support to our installers & technicians on the front lines.  From a customer’s first phone call, to the final billing on a project, and all the necessary steps in between, these professionals get it done with excellence each and every day!  GO TEAM!

Sales and Estimating Team
Project Managers & Operations
Engineering- & Design Team
Accounting & Purchasing Team
Executive/Management Team

UPMC Pinnacle York Memorial Medical Office Building – Picnic

On May 10th James CRAFT & Son took a moment to recognize the hard work being put into the new York Memorial Medical Office Building.  Around 80+ employees and subcontractors were treated to lunch and commemorative t-shirts for their efforts on this outpatient center. These crews are working to complete 5 stories and 120,000 SF of plumbing and HVAC systems which are scheduled to be completed in August of this year. Hats off to these hard working teams for all their efforts and countless hours!  Below are a few pictures of the project in progress…

Construction Career Days Event

Skilled labor in construction is a commodity in short supply.  The York Builders Association (YBA) and James CRAFT & Son have teamed up to change that by giving area high school students an opportunity to explore local skilled trade career opportunities in action. The objective of the Construction Career Days Event is to build awareness among high school students about the diverse career opportunities available to them locally in the construction industry. Students from Dallastown High School and West York High School got a first-hand look at the kind of work that goes on at James CRAFT & Son, the many potential job opportunities, and the role the organization plays in the local construction market. “The lack of skilled workers in the construction trades is a big challenge,” said YBA Executive Vice President Laurie Lourie. “YBA would like to be part of the solution. Today’s youth need to start seeing careers in construction as a viable alternative to a four-year degree, and often a lifetime of loans. The Construction Career Day events are one of several initiatives that we are working on to build a better future for the industry.” The York Builders Association works with member companies and matches the organizations up with area high schools interested in participating. In addition to James CRAFT & Son, four other local businesses participated – hosting 18 students from nine area high schools. This is the second year for the event.  

CRAFT Core Values

In 2018 the 4th & 5th Generation Owners & Mangers of James CRAFT & Son set out to define the top 5 Core Values that best represent us.  Doing this was no small feat.  How do you define nearly 120 years of quality CRAFTsmanship, family tradition and fundamental guiding values in just five words? (spoiler alert: we used six words)

It took some serious thinking, a few good-natured debates, and multiple revisions but here’s what we ultimately settled on . . .

These stated values are the guiding principals of James CRAFT & Son – and are are intended to be an unwavering guide for everyone of us as we all strive toward fulfilling our mission and reaching our goals.

If you are approached by a member of the management team and asked to recite these 5 Core Values, will you be able to?

2019 Apprenticeship Openings

As we gear up for a very busy summer here at James CRAFT & Son it is once again time for us to open our apprenticeship program and fill available spaces with men and women who are ready and willing to accept the challenge.

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