Beyond Homes Teakwood Builds Talent

Tom Dwyer, a newer member of Team Teak, approached us several months ago, eager for a change from his biomedical research career, hoping to gain experience in an entirely new profession. We saw in Tom, and his leap of faith, an embodiment of our company’s core values of passion and purpose. With his ingenuity, curiosity, and incredible attention to detail, and bolstered by the support and guidance of his teammates, Tom has quickly progressed from Apprentice to Carpenter. He recently demonstrated his growing expertise by completing our self-developed, hands-on proficiency test by building a set of sawhorses from plans.

Tom was sponsored for the promotion by one of his coworkers, Kevin Vogel, an accomplished and capable carpenter. Kevin said of Tom’s approach to the challenge, “Tom has passed his Carpenter exam with flying colors. He completed his task within the time constraints and under budget. He also questioned the design throughout the building process, clearly acting like a Carpenter now.”

Having pivoted from a biomedical career, Tom has applied his penchant for critical thinking and analysis to this new role while building on his love of working with his hands. He acknowledged how unique it can be for an employer to take a chance on a relative novice, especially in a field so reliant on precision and quality craftsmanship, expressing gratitude for the faith and mentorship of his colleagues.

“I know that giving me this opportunity has likely required a lot of patience. I appreciate what everyone has done for me thus far, but more importantly, what we’re doing as a collective team at Teakwood. From the office teams to the job site crews…there’s a reason I wouldn’t be with any other company around here.”

Likewise, we at Teakwood feel fortunate for Tom to have taken a chance on us. At a time when many peer businesses are struggling to find and retain talent, we are grateful for our diverse and growing team, and for people like Tom who seek us out. We’ve learned that attitude is invaluable, and that aptitude can be cultivated with time and care. We realize that the success of our company rests squarely on the achievements and enthusiasm of team members like Tom and his colleagues.