Page 53 - CareerView_Construction_Sample_Pages

CIVICS CONNECTION PROFILE

A Home Construction Professional and Volunteer

1 My name is Daniel Vargas. I’m a home 4 As an Army veteran,
builder—owner of Vargas Home Construction. one of the aspects of
It’s a small business. We build just one or two our work that means
homes a year. We could do more, but instead I the most to me is our
prefer to donate a lot of time to volunteering with veterans’ assistance
a very special organization—Building to Care. program. It helps
2 BTC plays an important role in our local veterans who need
community and around the world. We renovate some help with home repairs or, in some cases,

and repair existing homes and build new ones with building safe and a ordable new housing.
to provide families with safe, decent, and 5 My world has defi nitely expanded through
a ordable housing. The homes we build in the volunteer work I’ve done with BTC overseas.

U.S. and Canada aren’t too large. They’re a First, I volunteered in Haiti after the 2010
decent size to house a family—typically three earthquake. I was in the Philippines in 2013
bedrooms. The homes usually have wood frame doing reconstruction after Typhoon Haiyan.
construction, vinyl siding, and asphalt shingle Most recently, I was in Puerto Rico in 2017 to
roofs. help after the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

3 Costs are lower than for usual home As a result, I’ve learned how to employ cement
construction since we rely on the labor of blocks, metal roof panels, and other materials
volunteers who work under the supervision of in ways that work best for local conditions. But

experienced construction professionals. That’s more important, I’ve learned a lot about di erent
my role. I’m a team leader. I oversee all aspects people and cultures.
of the building process, from framing, roofing, 6 Whether you’ve got some experience in

and siding to painting, finish work, and cleanup. construction or not, I encourage you to look for
I provide instruction to our volunteers, who are an opportunity to volunteer with an organization
mostly inexperienced. I enjoy that part of my such as Building to Care—locally or globally.
role. I’m pretty sure if I weren’t in construction, I’d Everyone deserves a decent place to live. It’s
be in education. I love teaching. great work.

1. Which paragraph has the most information about 3. Select the two paragraphs that show differences
this volunteer's responsibilities? in home construction techniques.
A. Paragraph 1 A. Paragraphs 1 and 3
B. Paragraph 2 B. Paragraphs 2 and 4
C. Paragraph 3 C. Paragraphs 3 and 5
D. Paragraph 4 D. Paragraphs 2 and 5

2. Which occupation or role probably wouldn’t 4. Which word has the same meaning as the word
appear on his resume? employ as used in paragraph 5?
A. builder A. hire
B. teacher B. donate
C. veteran C. use
D. volunteer D. give work to

CLASSROOM VISITOR

Invite a local home builder to visit your class. Ask about home construction in your area, the types of jobs available, and the

process of starting and managing a residential construction business. Or, invite an official of your local government’s housing
department to visit your class. Ask about what type of housing assistance is available for low-income residents, the elderly,
and the homeless in your area. (Or, do an Internet search for information about a local or global volunteer organization.) 35
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