Success Stories
Master Carpenter Joseph Ouellette
Jun 30, 2022
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Joseph Ouellette became an apprentice carpenter at 12 and continued on that career path after a spinal cord injury at 15.
The Rolling Renovator
Growing up in Michigan, Joseph Ouellette dreamt of three future careers: Olympic wrestler, horse-mounted park ranger or master carpenter. When a backyard wrestling move resulted in a C4-5 incomplete quadriplegia during high school, the master carpenter route seemed more realistic than the others.
Ouellette had worked alongside his stepfather as a carpenter’s apprentice when he was younger and had a good sense of what was involved in the job. Initially, he envisioned a supervisory role where he could direct subcontractors and laborers, instilling his expertise and vision and working within his physical abilities.
As time passed, Ouellette recovered more function than he had expected. He also realized he wasn’t someone who could just tell others what to do; he needed to be in the middle of things. After high school, he went into business as a contractor, handling [...]