Groundman - Detroit Lakes
Brandon Johnson
How long have you been with CTS?
2 Months
What is your professional experience/trade, beyond CTS?
I have worked in restaurants, group homes, bank call centers and even CTS before going to college to become a social studies teacher, which I did for 5 years.
Explain your motivation for this line of work? (What gets you excited, what makes you look forward to a day at work, etc)
Everyday brings a level of consistency in knowing the general task at hand, but each job site is a unique puzzle that requires your team to work together to ensure the job is done safely and efficiently.
What jobs/roles have you served for CTS?
In my short time back I have served as a groundsman. Clearing tree species from the ground, running the wood chipper, pole sawing, and working in the bucket to clear around power lines to help prevent power outages.
In the next year, what is something new you would like to experience or learn at CTS?
I am looking to soak up all that arboriculture has to offer. The opportunities provided by CTS to learn rope rigging, gain my CDL, crane operation, drone pilot license and plant health care are all exciting. I am excited by the opportunities provided by CTS as a company. It's not just taking a chainsaw into the woods everyday, you can develop your own path into a career fit for you and your passions.
What advice would you give yourself back on your first day working for CTS with the knowledge you now have?
Trust in patience to learn to do the job right, and safely complete each task.
Tell the story of your favorite job, experience or memory working for CTS
Getting to work with a small team each day to plan, work and get to know.
Is there anything else we should know about you as a person that makes you who you are outside of your days at CTS?
I have an amazing wife of 10 years. We have 4 children who are 8, 5, 2, and 1. We spend our time together outdoors mostly. Whether it’s fishing, swimming, sledding, going on walks, or going to baseball games. I spend a great deal of my time serving in the role of manager of the Detroit Lakes Ligers. We are an amateur baseball, or town ball, team.