“Like Building Legos in the Sky”: RJ’s Journey from Uncertainty to a Union Career

RJ, a 19-year-old Nashville native and graduate of Hunters Lane High School, never imagined he’d be helping build one of the most high-profile construction projects in the city just months after finishing high school. But that’s exactly where he finds himself now—working high above the ground on the Amazon Towers project as a union sheet metal apprentice. “It’s like building Legos in the sky,” he says, grinning. “I love it.”

Just a year ago, RJ didn’t know anything about construction. “The only thing I really knew how to use was a measuring tape,” he admits. He had no plan for what came next after high school—no job lined up, no college plans that felt right. But when he heard about Music City Construction Careers’ MC3 Apprenticeship Readiness Program, he decided to take a chance.

Over four intensive weeks, RJ gained far more than basic knowledge. He learned how to read blueprints, safely operate power tools, communicate like a professional, and navigate the expectations of a real job site. One of the most impactful moments for him was building a toolbox with Sheet Metal Workers Organizer and Trainer David LaRue. “That toolbox—it was my first time putting something like that together,” RJ said. “It showed me I could really build something. That I could do this.”

Beyond the hands-on skills, RJ credits MC3 with giving him a foundation in mindset and professionalism. “They taught us the little stuff that really matters—don’t stand around with your hands in your pockets, don’t complain when you’re asked to sweep, always try. Even if you don’t know how to do something, try. Because in this work, you can’t really mess up—you just learn.”

Within a week of graduating from MC3 in February, RJ was hired by the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 177. “That’s where I wanted to go,” he says. “I like working with my hands, I like the heat, and honestly—it just came easy to me.”

Since then, RJ has worked on some of the most prominent jobs in Middle Tennessee, including MTSU, a paper plant in Jackson, and now the Amazon Towers downtown. “You get to do something different all the time—some days you’re 60 feet in the air on scaffolding, other days you’re watching helicopters drop HVAC units onto the roof. Sometimes you get to operate lifts or cranes. It’s just fun, man.”

And the impact hasn’t been just professional—it’s been deeply personal. Before MC3, RJ was living paycheck to paycheck, working fast food jobs like Whataburger, and unsure how to move forward. Now, he’s debt-free, having paid off over $2,000, and he’s saving for a car and his first apartment. “I’ve been helping my parents out with bills, groceries, whatever they need,” he says. “It makes me feel like a man. Like somebody my family can count on.”

He also sees a future for himself for the first time. He plans to become a foreman and eventually a project manager. He wants to own a home, start a family, and travel the world—“maybe even go to Dubai one day,” he says with a laugh.

But what brings the biggest smile to his face is the pride he feels in his work. “One day I’ll be driving downtown with my kids, and I’ll point to the Amazon Towers and say, ‘I helped build that.’ That’s forever. That’s something no one can take away from me.”

When asked what he’d say to someone thinking about joining MC3, RJ doesn’t hesitate. “Do it. Even if you don’t want to do it, do it. Because it’ll help you in the long run. MC3 didn’t just give me a job—it gave me direction. It gave me confidence. It gave me a future.”

And when he thinks back to his younger self—the five-year-old kid who once visited the Titans stadium on a youth football trip—RJ smiles. “I’d tell him, just keep going. Stay out of trouble. Save your money. And guess what? You’re gonna help build the city one day.”