SEAHO Report - Summer 2019 - 24

SEAHO Feature Articles
Dad worked as a Chief Inspector for a pipeline inspection company. I'll give a quick overview of what that
means for those (like me) who have never encountered pipeline work before. I don't mean to over-simplify
this by any means; I'm just speaking from my experience of how this system works. The company that wants
the line built will put a call-out for construction companies who want that contract. Because there are certain
rules and regulations surrounding pipeline work, there is also the need for a separate inspection company to
come onto that contract to make sure everything is done up to code (i.e., no damages to pipe, pipe is buried
deep enough in the ground, use protective coating when pipe is placed in area with sharp/jagged rock that could
damage the line, etc.). This inspection company is the company for which I was considering the job.
Picture it: SEAHO 2018 in Biloxi, MS (shout out to Biloxi and everyone who made that experience amazing). I
got the call from Dad telling me about an Office Manager Assistant position that opened up. He asked if I would
consider it, and I told him I'd have to take some time to really think it over, but that I'd consider it, nonetheless.
At this point, you may be thinking exactly what I was thinking as I was considering the offer: "How in the
heck do you go from working in Residence Life to working for a Pipeline Inspection Company?!" The reality
is that a lot of the work I did in my Residence Life job translated quite beautifully to the job requirements and
expectations of the new position: strong communication skills, working knowledge of Excel, ability to offer
solutions to technical support (emails and forms), etc. Spoiler alert: I took the job and submitted my notice to
UNCG while at SEAHO 2018.
The thought of leaving Residence Life was equally terrifying and thrilling. It was terrifying because this
was all I knew. Every other job I have ever had was me working just to work. Nothing ever poured into my
development or gave me satisfaction like working in Residence Life has. But was that because there wasn't
anything else that could satisfy me like Residence Life, or was it because I'd never given anything else a shot?
I thought through it a lot, but at the end of the day, I couldn't pass up this opportunity for change... not to
mention the opportunity to make private sector money$$$!
Lessons Learned
There were several things I noticed only after I moved out to Texas to start my new position. First, the
construction and inspection companies were both very white- and male-dominated. My only interactions with
any person of color during this job were with a Latinx man that worked for the same company I worked for.
Initially, there was a little bit of a culture shock as I tried to adjust to being constantly surrounded by middleaged, white men everywhere I looked. Surprisingly enough, I had some of the best times talking with some of
the guys who worked in the office as well. They made showing up to work fun and loved to joke around, but
also respected my approach and intelligence... for the most part.
As context for this story, I am a white, gay, plus-size man who is more effeminate in my gender expression (I
love accentuating my curves when I can). There's a rule in working with companies like this that nothing can
be posted on social media (there's so much liability associated with it). As part of my experience, I liked to go
out on the line to observe what was being done. This gave me hands-on experience, which better informed me
as I reviewed/revised the forms and progress logs that were being completed and submitted to me every day
by the inspectors. One time I was out on the line, and one of the line workers who worked for the construction
company snapped a photo of me without my knowledge or consent. He posted the photo on social media with a
caption that said something along the lines of "They'll let anyone in these jobs nowadays..."
He was ultimately fired from his position, but this is an important part of my experience outside Residence Life.
The firing didn't come from the fact that he snapped a picture of me without my consent, rather from the fact
that he posted about the company's progress on social media. As I reflect on that moment today, I wonder what
SEAHO Report Summer 2019

SEAHO Report - Summer 2019

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