Coleman Guerrero is an apprentice laborer and has been with JR Merit for just over two years. Before finding himself with us, Coleman earned his associates degree then joined LiUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America. “I decided I wanted to try a hands-on experience because I graduated in 2020 during COVID, so my first two years of college were very COVID-themed. I couldn't really sit there behind a computer anymore. I'm an in-person, hands-on learner.”

After completing his pre-construction training, Coleman was added to the job list but didn’t get many promising bites for more than a month. Then he got the call that there was a job for JR Merit at an industrial manufacturing site near Portland and they wanted him there immediately.

It was just the beginning of many ‘firsts’ for Coleman. “It’s my first time being in the union, first time going to a construction job, learning about the office work, so I had some jitters about not really knowing or understanding what's coming next.”

Coleman attributes much of his success at JR Merit to his coworkers and the amount of hands-on learning he gets every day. “What’s important for me right now is learning and adapting—I would consider myself a pretty good helper in that way.”

His work spans from fixing equipment on food product lines, standing fire watch on a task all day, or working small jobs at reservoir sites. And everyday includes learning. “I’m always learning how to do certain things, things I've never learned before, seeing new tricks, or really old tricks that you can only get by seeing. I try to stay really adaptable and job seeking.”

While his duties can change day-to-day, he’s typically working alongside other laborers, including Juan Rojas Gasca, Bob Coffland, and Jeremy Browning. “I consider those three people my family. I see them as much as I see my girlfriend and my child. Having that bond and comfortability with them definitely makes work a lot easier and enjoyable.

“Bob has been like a mentor to me. We established a work friendship where he can say 'this is how we're going to do things, and I'll help you if you need the help.’ I probably wouldn't be as good as I am right now if Bob wasn't the kind of person he is.”

Coleman is usually the youngest on the team, but he uses that age gap to his advantage whenever possible. “I love my role as the younger crew member, because it's nice seeing how long people have been in the trade and how they do things. I like being the guy that they get to teach, and I’m learning what people would consider the best of what they’ve learned.

“Bob always tells me, ‘We are the professionals.’ I can't call anybody else to come and do the work; I’m that person. So, when it comes to a job, getting dirty is a big part of it. I work in the rain, I work in the dirt, and I have to make sure the job's done.”

One particularly dirty job for Coleman was at Portland’s Morrison Bridge. Geared up with a protective suit and harness, his job included scraping dirty grease off the gears, applying brake cleaner, and ensuring they were clean and shiny before moving to the next tooth. “That’s probably been my favorite job so far, and it was a really interesting to see how things worked.”

Before his time with JR Merit, hydropower infrastructure and other heavy industrial equipment wasn’t something he’d think about all that often, and now he finds himself frequently impressed on job sites. “I really liked working on the Morrison bridge because I'd never been inside or seen how a drawbridge works. That was one of the first times I’ve ever had that kind of access.”

Down in Madras, Oregon, Coleman was excited to work on the nearby dam. “You hear about a dam, and you can see them when you drive by, but being on top of it and being able to go down into the dam to see how it runs is impressive. It's cool seeing how much water gets pushed out of it and thinking about how you're working on something that's giving power to people in nearby cities.

“I've met a lot of people in the trades, hearing what they go through and how their company is and what their jobs are like. In my eyes, my job and my company feel like the company of companies, you know?  From my time here and the stories I've been told, JR Merit is a great company, and I got really lucky to be a part of it.”

When Coleman’s not working, you’ll find him in dad mode, playing with his daughter as much as possible, who is nearly two years old. “I really like to come home and just be a dad and a boyfriend and sit on the couch or meet them at the park and just watch her play and go crazy. I love being adad and all the experiences of it. It’s a trip thinking about how this used to be me when I was a kid.”

Coleman and his girlfriend started taking their daughter to places and experiences they enjoyed as kids. “I've been trying to get into fishing and making that a hobby. It's something that I used to do with my dad growing up, and I'm trying to get back into it and find peace in it. I’ll bring my girlfriend and my baby along; she loves playing in the sand and water.”

Family time also usually includes a home-cooked meal. “My girlfriend makes a lot of food and everything's always homemade,” Colman said. His favorite? “I really like tacos, especially carne asada tacos. I could also eat rice with anything.”

Looking to the future, Coleman hopes to journey out in the next five or so years and have more self-reliance in his next job. “I don't expect to not be learning anymore—you're going learn every day regardless—but I want to be able to achieve my goals. I would like to get in a higher position to make more money, live a better life, get a house and some land, grow fruit, raise some animals, buy my daughter things. I might even get into a different trade and take advantage of different opportunities.”