A Week in the Life of an Installer

June 20, 2019 by Taylor Studios in Other

How often do people get to say that they swapped jobs with a
coworker? Chances are that there are not a whole lot of opportunities to switch
for a day—the training that is involved, the time and effort of learning
something new—it really is quite complex.

I’m a Project Coordinator for Taylor Studios and for just one week became an Installer.
Well, lucky for me, I recently had a chance to walk in the
shoes of another coworker. I am a Project Coordinator, which means I often have
to help coordinate installs, but never actually participate in them. We were working
on an exhibit for a museum, and the installation date was getting closer. We
needed two people from the fabrication department, but one of the people we had
originally intended to go was traveling a lot at time. We didn’t want to put additional stress
on him, so we had to rethink about the options we had.

Considering the fact that it was a very simple install, we
looked into the option of sending someone less experienced. I jokingly said
that I was pretty handy, and that maybe I should go. That statement was met
with laughter, of course, because everyone who knows me has bore witness to my
clumsy demeanor and severe lack of depth perception. My understanding is that
most people would be uncomfortable with the idea of someone like me handling
power tools, so I figured that no one actually took me seriously.

A week went by, and we still had not picked another team
member. We were getting closer to the install date, and all of a sudden, I was
being looked at as a serious option. I mean, in my defense, I am pretty
handy. I had been doing a lot of home renovations and was getting pretty
comfortable with doing a lot the things we do at the shop, but this was not
quite the same. In the comfort of my own home, I have the freedom to make
mistakes, but this was an actual job—I did not have the same luxury.

After confirming that the install was very straight forward
and all I was needed for was to be an extra set of hands, I agreed to go. So a
few weeks later, with some training under my belt, we set off for the museum to
do the install.

I have to admit; the experience was much more difficult than
I anticipated. We did not have a smooth start. We ran into some unforeseen
difficulties that put us behind immediately, and had to make adjustments to our
plans. What was worse was that the client had some major concerns.

Their concerns were understandable, however, because the beginning stages of an installation can look like a war zone. It was basically a construction site, so there were tools everywhere, the area was a complete mess, and I imagine that it felt like we were destroying their beloved museum. Their fears were soothed once the installation plan was discussed in further detail, and it helped them understand that until the job was done, it would look like everything was wrong. I discovered that, as an installer, you have to balance a fine line. You cannot just do the manual labor needed to install the exhibit on time, you also have to keep the client in the know, and it is exhausting!

The days were also very long. Some days, we were on our
hands and knees for hours at a time, bolting structures into the floor, doing
touch up work to the exhibit pieces, and painting text on to the floor. The
mentality of being on site for an install is all business, and by the end of
the day, all I felt like doing was collapse on my hotel bed.

It was extremely stressful, but there were a lot of
positives about this experience as well. At the end of the install, there was
an exhibit—a beautiful, shiny, tangible exhibit before me. Being a Project
Coordinator, a lot of what I do cannot be seen or measured in the same way that
the fabricator’s work can. However, I got to experience what it was like to see
something that I helped construct with my two hands, and it was a glorious
feeling.

I also have gained a whole new level of appreciation for my
fabrication coworkers. While their job is extremely cool, and they rely heavily
on being creative and artistic, it can also be very hard, both mentally and
physically. The person I went on this install with was always working and doing
everything he could to find the best way to get back on track when things went
awry. You have to be adaptable in these situations, and in the end, it paid
off. It is very easy to assume people in other departments have it easy, but
that simply is just not true.

On that same vein, I felt a deeper sense of comradery with
my coworker. We were placed in a situation where we had to depend on one
another to get the job done, and since I was essentially his assistant, I
needed him to direct me on what he needed. He never lost patience with me, he
was always available to answer my questions, and he helped me learn more about
the processes they usually go through on an install.

While I cannot say that this experience was as easy, it was
definitely a valuable one. If there is ever an opportunity to cross train in
your company, even if it feels a little scary, I would say go for it. You come
out the other side a more confident individual!