In a company as diverse as MPW in people and professions, it’s easy for all employees to settle into their immediate surroundings and lose touch with what other departments do on a regular basis, even on the same campus. Per reader request to focus more upon all MPW employees, sometimes all we need to bridge this gap is to experience ‘A Day in the Life’ through our co-workers’ eyes.
Becoming a Mechanic Journeyman for MPW has been just that for Jason Garvin—a journey. He had an interest in truck mechanics since a young age and joined his high school automotive technology program. “But, at graduation the job I was offered was detailing cars at Fink Auto Detailing, so I went with that for around six years,” Garvin said. Garvin said his longtime friend, who is the son of the person who got him the Job at Fink’s, recommended to Garvin a janitor’s position at MPW. Garvin accepted the janitor’s position in December of 2000. “That surprises many people when I tell them,” he said. Garvin said he was happy being a janitor, but Materials Manager Ed Bucknam was impressed with Garvin’s detail-oriented work ethic. “He really liked what I was doing, so he and (former Corporate Maintenance Director) Curt Ruff asked me if I would be interested in advancing,” Garvin said. “Of course, I jumped at the opportunity!” Garvin enrolled in an adult program for heavy truck repair at a vocational school. “I worked during the day in my janitor role and went to the vocational school in the evenings until I graduated from the truck repair program,” he said. Following graduation, Garvin worked the night shift in the heavy truck shop and in the pick-up shop. “After doing my time on nights I was able to move to days, where I worked under the journey man in the forklift and tooling repair area back when Hebron parts didn’t have their own mechanic,” Garvin said. “And then, I was moved over to the component rebuild area and learned that set of skills. When my trainer in that department left the company I stayed in there and eventually the job transitioned to what it is today.”
Every morning for a Mechanic Journeyman begins with a safety meeting and discussion about what everyone’s job tasks are for the day. “After the meeting we get clocked in on our work or ders and get to work, making repairs and working with (Maintenance Manager) Kevin Simpson and (Maintenance Logistics Planner) Justin Ledgett for any information we may need and parts required,” Garvin said. “I enjoy working with the people I get to work with and the different equipment I get to work
on. I never know what I am going to work on, and it keeps it exciting!” Garvin said. “I enjoy repairs the most on the machines I can test and operate when I am done.” He said sometimes with the component rebuilds it is difficult to know if he’s decisively found and repaired the issue without being able to operate it under a load. Garvin said these days he works on almost everything, including forklifts, lawn equipment, side by sides, scrubbers, burnishers, water blasters, minivacs, excavators and dozers. “It makes it very interesting and I am proud to have done so well here,” he said. “The equipment I repair and rebuild make the jobs go smoother for the operators and helps the company be successful.” The most challenging repairs for Garvin have been field repairs requiring him to research and find the parts on his own. “They are also extremely rewarding jobs though, leaving a facility with better-running equipment,” he said. “Happy operators are always a good thing!”