Indiana Apprentice Forges a Solid Link

Local 4 IN/KY 3rd-year apprentice Robert Stanish.

Twenty-one-year-old Robert Stanish, a Local 4 Indiana/ Kentucky apprentice, chose masonry for his career. Like many BAC apprentices, a desire for a profession that combines a decent income with hands-on work and a sense of craftsmanship led him to the masonry industry and BAC.

“In high school, they always stressed going to college,” explains Stanish. “You heard a lot about getting into school and ways to pay for it. I had my reservations about higher education and decided to enroll in a construction class during my senior year. Local 4 South Bend Apprentice Coordinator Kevin McClanahan invited our class to tour one of the Union’s apprenticeship facilities. After seeing first-hand how BAC’s apprenticeship system operates, and talking it over with McClanahan and Local 4 Statewide Apprentice Coordinator Jim Crumb, I decided to sign up.”

Currently employed by Weaver Masonry of White Pigeon, Michigan, Stanish is in an apprenticeship that’s equipping him with useful skills. “Weaver specializes in small brick and block jobs,” says Stanish. “Right now we’re working on the Elkhart (Indiana) Municipal Airport. I work with a great crew, Carl Warble, Bob Rock, Ron Kirkdorffer, Rick Davis, and my boss, Randy Weaver. All of these guys have shown me a lot about the trade. They challenge and inspire me. They’ve taught me the importance of producing a quality finished product.”

When not busy with his trowel, the Local 4 apprentice regularly picks up his hammer and tongs to craft hot metal into ornamental fences and railings. The hobby forges both skill and artistry into solid, tangible forms. A member of the Indiana Blacksmithing Association, Stanish is now using his apprenticeship to forge a solid link to the Union—a link that’s keeping the tradition of BAC craftsmanship alive and well in northern Indiana..