Current Position: Maintenance Repairman 2 at Rebel State Historic Site
How long have you been with Louisiana State Parks and in what capacity?
Seven years in maintenance.
How did you become involved in working as a Maintenance Repairman?
I saw an ad in the newspaper. I had previously worked in maintenance positions, but I liked the idea of working at a state park. I love working with the public, and I am proud of my community and its history and musical heritage. I applied for the position, and I am glad I did! I enjoy my job, and I find it very fulfilling. I am proud to be a steward of my community's unique resources.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
I have many duties at my job. I maintain all of the equipment and the park grounds. I also run sound equipment for the many musical programs our park hosts. I supervise the other members of the maintenance staff. I complete reports and keep up to date records on all equipment and on the maintenance of our facilities.
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
40 hours a week.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy our park's events and programs. I love the holidays, and our park has terrific programs for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
Our park has a small staff, and some of our programs require a huge amount of set up. It is time consuming and a lot of hard work! Every December we hang thousands of Christmas lights and build new Christmas displays. Getting it all done in time is definitely a challenge for our small staff.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Most of what I needed to know I learned on the job. I do attend occasional certification classes. I am always learning new things and doing research. About the history of this area and of my site, about the latest in sound equipment and technology... There is so much to learn!
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wish I could have had prior musical training. That would have made my job easier.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We've been gearing up for our Halloween Program. We host a very popular community Spook House. It's fun coming up with ideas to scare people. I like working with community volunteers and seeing it all come together.
If someone were interested in working as a Maintenance Workman at a state park, what advice could you give them?
As with nearly any job, you get out of it what you put into it. I am always proud of the hard work I do because I am working at a place that I love. That makes a difference. It is the love and pride that makes my job so rewarding.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It is important to work as a member of a team. The members of my park's staff all have different duties, but we share the same motivation: we want to give the best experience possible to everyone visiting our site. It takes more than one person to do that. It takes a team.
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