APPRENTICE SPOTLIGHT: Andrea Quaint Took Her Own Turn as Princess for a Day
On a chilly Saturday evening in December, after a long week working in her regular uniform of work boots, hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses, and gloves, Andrea Quaint donned a very different kind of uniform with white long gloves, a floor-length gown lit with LED lights, a crown fashioned of crystals and lights, and even a glowing wand.
Usually, Andrea is an apprentice with Weifield Group Electrical Contracting and an IECRM third-year student. On Saturday, December 7, 2019, she emerged the Princess of the Sparkling Ice Castle of the Future, IECRM’s float in the 2019 9News Parade of Lights, smiling and waving to hundreds of thousands of parade-goers as she represented IECRM and the electrical industry.
About…
When Andrea was a kid, she loved taking objects apart, figuring out how they worked and putting them back together again. “I used to love doing that,” Andrea says, “It was always just a hobby until I realized that I could do more with my hobby — as an electrician!”
Andrea moved to Colorado 2 ½ years ago after spending most of her life in northeast Ohio. “Originally I wanted to become a teacher,” she says. “Over time and having had several odd jobs, I really wanted to be doing something I could love doing for the long term. It was great to find a career that I love.”
Favorite Project…
Andrea is currently working on a project at the Centennial Medical Plaza. “The crew I’m with is amazing and I enjoy the work immensely,” she says. “My favorite project was a job at Raytheon. I learned so much from that job and met some of the best coworkers I’ve ever had.”
Most Successful Work Habits…
“I think my most successful work habit is my ability to work with anyone,” says Andrea. “My work ethic is a high priority for me as well as my ability to not be afraid to ask questions or ask for help.”
Heroes…
“My hero is my mother,” says Andrea. “I watched her raise me and my sister in addition to eight other children through her home daycare center.” Andrea notes that during all of this, her mother went back to school and got her teaching degree. “It’s a lot to live up to,” she says.
IECRM…
“IECRM has helped me to be able to make the connection between what we learn in the field and what we learn in class,” Andrea says.
Inspirational words for other apprentices, colleagues, and students…
“If you do the work and put in the time and effort each day to be a little better than the day before, it will pay off sooner than you think and in more ways than you could imagine.”