Applying for a position in the UA apprenticeship was a process I was familiar with as I had completed the process once before, but this time would be so much different. UA Local 357 located in Schoolcraft, MI was 1,800 miles away from where I currently lived and only accepts applications (in person) during the month of February. This is step one. Fly from Phoenix, AZ to Kalamazoo, MI on my days off to physically hand in my application at the union hall; fly back. After a few days I receive a letter inviting me back to take the math and mechanical aptitude test at the union hall the following week. Another two day round trip from Phoenix to Kalamazoo to complete these tests and get back to work. Receive another letter shortly after informing me I had made it to the interview process and my interview was scheduled for the next week. You got it! One more trip to Kalamazoo for an interview. It wasn’t long after that I got a phone call informing me, I had been accepted.

   Hello, my name is Nathan Wanamaker, but everyone calls me Nate. My family moved from Kalamazoo to the east side of Michigan in July 2021 for new job opportunities and to be closer to family. Currently I live in Holly, MI with my wife Alyssa and three sons: Liam (6), Arlo (4), and Miles (2).  Life is very high energy with these three wild boys who love to run around, play soccer, football, ride dirt bikes, 4 wheelers, you name it they are into it. Me personally have always loved to fish and when we moved, we were fortunate enough to purchase a house on a private lake and now fishing has become a shared loved with my boys. It is a question that gets asked almost every day “Dad can we go fishing?” and the answer is always the same. “Let’s go talk to mom!”