Western Earthworks, LLC of North Hatfield has been hiring Franklin County Tech graduates for jobs for years, and are they now one of newest companies to join the school’s Co-operative Education program.
In fact, when someone applies for a job at the company the hiring manager checks the applicant’s resume to see if they graduated from the tech school. About one-third of Western Earthworks’ workforce are graduates of Franklin County Tech.
“By 2030, 2032, 40 percent of the workforce in construction will have retired,” said Mariel Lima, Western Earthworks owner. “We’re preparing for it right now. Our median age is 30. We hired our first tech school graduate, Cody Reynolds, four years ago. He came to us when he was 21 and quickly moved up the ranks to foreman. He runs multiple crews and does a great job.”
Lima said Western Earthworks separates the FCTS graduates on worksites because they are the cornerstones of every crew they work with.
“They set the tone for the crew,” Lima said. “They have a great work ethic and an eagerness and willingness to learn. This is often their first job in construction. Whatever is instilled in them at Franklin County Tech carries into their career. It’s a common theme in all of them.”
With a background as a heavy equipment operator and salesman, Jack Henderson-Adams founded Western Earthworks 10 years ago. He realized through talking to business owners that there was a need for another excavation company in the Valley. Some companies had aging owners with no succession plan; others had sons or daughters ready to inherit the company but had no respect for the business; and some were individuals like him who had experience and determination and wanted to make a go of it on their own.
Since he was a teenager, Henderson-Adams knew what he wanted to do for a career. He comes from a family of educators but took a different path into the trades. Henderson-Adams wants to help young people get a start in a business that has been good to him.
“If I have an opportunity to have a positive influence on a kid who’s selling himself short and help them turn their life around, I’m happy to do that,” he said.
By joining the co-op program, Western Earthworks can provide paid on-the-job training for eligible juniors and seniors, which could give them a leg up on a fulltime job after graduation.
Luke Bird, 26, graduated from the Welding and Metal Fabrication program in 2018 and came to work for Western Earthworks in March 2025. He worked for R. Moody Machine in Deerfield as a co-op student while at school. Before coming to Western Earthworks, Bird worked for Airgas in Greenfield.
Bird’s brother Matthew and a friend who both work for Western Earthworks encouraged him to apply for a job. When he was hired he started as a fleet mechanic and welder. Bird said he now has his “hands in a little bit of everything.” He’s a truck and equipment mechanic, welder, service scheduler and orders parts.
“The tech school graduates understand their job – show up every day and have a good work ethic,” Bird said. “Having a good attitude is one of the big things. Having a good attitude will take you further. The tech school kids are almost always a good fit right from the start. The school gets the kids ready and teaches them what they need to start a career and build from there.”