A question that everyone in the industry has likely heard: “What made you decide to get into plumbing?” 

Whether the answer is continuing a family business or feeling a strong calling towards the trades, everyone’s story is unique. I recently spoke with Lucas DePerry, whose story struck me as particularly special. 

DePerry was raised on a small reservation on the tip of the Wisconsin in Red Cliff. Growing up, his parents instilled the importance of hard work: his mother went to college while raising three boys and his father worked for the National Park Services. DePerry started working at the age of fourteen. 

 From a young age, DePerry knew what he wanted to do: he watched stars like Emil on the Food Network, and he knew that he wanted to be in the culinary business. His parents and grandparents supported his decision; even letting him experiment in the kitchen. With his first kitchen apprenticeship in 2005 (where he was putting in 25-30 hours a week without pay), he quickly learned that he enjoyed the hands-on work in the kitchen. While working in restaurants, he bounced between several different schools (including culinary school and the University of Madison) before settling in New York, where he would work in various kitchens for ten years. 

Change, according to DePerry, was constant in the industry. “The one thing I was used to in the industry was change.” He said. “That’s the thing that’s constant, regardless of where you’re at. Change.” He would get in, learn what he could, and move on to the next place. 

Eventually, he was given the opportunity to run his own restaurant with his fiancé in Lincoln Park, Chicago. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere was great, but the location wasn’t necessarily the right fit. After almost three years, DePerry received a text from ownership that the restaurant would be shutting down. 

Thankfully, change wasn’t anything unusual to DePerry. After visiting home – and doing some fishing – he saw a news segment that would change everything. 

HIRE360 ran a story on the Chicago local news about the programs they offer to help community members – with a focus on underserved communities – become involved in the trades.  Lucas found himself realizing that he qualified to apply for the program, so he decided to take the plunge – and the plunger.

“I was honestly surprised that there was so much,” DePerry said. “Support comes in many different ways, from support in helping me refresh on math skills I wasn’t using . . . but also in identifying what career path or path is truly the best for you.” That support also included financial: in addition to paying for his tools, they also pay a stipend to support those going through the program. 

The Hire360 HIRE360 program offers several different opportunities in both construction sphere and clean energy industries – from plumbing, electricity and carpentry to emerging fields like elective vehicle technology. Working with unions and training schools, they give students the opportunity to find the trade that works best for them; the one that they can see themselves grow in. DePerry visited several different facilities with different focuses, and was given training that translated to a variety of different career paths: flagger training, CPR certification and even forklift training.  

Lucas was no stranger to trade work. While he had no plumbing experience, he found himself drawn to the attention to detail that was required of the job – something that had been his favorite part of being a chef. "When I was in Redcliff and I helped build the casino, I was working with general carpentry, so things were familiar there. It would have been a nice transition, but with plumbing, seeing the piping, the attention to detail and the craft that goes into connecting it. All of that really resonated with me. . . Even today, I'm seeing a lot of similarities in attention to detail that I had in the kitchen that now is translating to like work at the shop."

While Lucas is still new to plumbing, he's excited to keep learning. "Every day is something new." He told me. While he's currently most working with new builds and new construction, he's looking forward to learning new techniques. 

When I asked Lucas what he would say to other people from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing the trades, he put it perfectly: "Hey, go do it!"

"It's the right choice. . . If it's an interest that someone thinking over and if they're talking about it, that means your gut is telling you that's the truth, and to follow through with it. You're gonna learn a new skill that you can take with you." He really encourages everyone who is interested in plumbing to give it a shot. "There's support out there. There's people that want to see you succeed. I do." 

It's never too late to consider a career in the trades! Whether you're a parent, a recent grad, or looking for a fresh start, programs like HIRE360 offer pathways to opportunity.