Encouragement from other tradesmen in his family is what prompted Brandon Gawelek to enroll in the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center’s Construction Trades program taught by Paul Yuravak. Growing up with both his grandfathers – one a bricklayer and the other an electrician – taught him a great deal and he felt this program would enable him to further his knowledge in the field. He is featured student in the CVCC’s Student Connection for March.
Gawelek, a senior at Cuyahoga Heights High School (CHHS), says he most enjoys carpentry, specifically framing, because working with numbers comes easily to him. Though the electrical portion in the program has been challenging, he has found it rewarding. He appreciates the friendships and values the opportunities that being involved in SkillsUSA, a trade and industrial student organization, has afforded him. He attended the SkillsUSA leadership conference in Columbus, Ohio this past fall.
When he’s not at CVCC or CHHS, Gawelek enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his family. Immediately upon graduation, he plans to enter an apprenticeship program with a local union and begin working in the construction field. He hopes to one day work for a big construction company. He is the son of Jennifer and Brian Gawelek of Cleveland.