Craft Spotlight – Chris Skidmore
Chris Skidmore has held a variety of positions in his time as a union carpenter with Local 224. From working with cabinets to building scaffolding, and beyond – Chris has been doing his part to build his community. Being a 4th-generation carpenter, the evolution in and of his career is something that Chris’ predecessors also experienced, though maybe not to the same degree.
Over 30 years ago, when Chirs joined the Carpenters Union, Chris worked in a cabinet shop offloading supplies from a truck. “That one didn’t last long,” Skidmore said when asked about what he thought of that job. That’s the beauty of the Union, however. Chris was able to find another union contractor in a different line of work that interested him personally. The network of contractors the union has at its disposal is a lifeline for anyone who is out of work or is looking for something they can connect with.
On-site, Chris is a materials handler. He works to make sure everyone working at Petersburg Solar has all of the necessary components they’ll be working on. Simply put, everything that comes into the project goes through and is dispersed by Chris. He leads a composite crew comprised of many different trades but chooses carpenters to lead as foremen. “On the jobsite, we all have respect for each other regardless of craft or trade. We’re all working towards the same goal,” Brother Skidmore says about how the different trades get along.
Technology is shaping both the way our members work and what our members are working on. 30 years ago, Chris would have never guessed he’d be working in a roughly 2,700-acre solar field in Petersburg, Indiana. “We’re literally building the future,” he said about leading the charge of the renewable energy movement. Not everyone sees solar fields and renewable energy the same way, however.
There is plenty of resistance when it comes to pitching new projects throughout the council. Whether it’s because residents of these counties don’t want to repurpose farmland or simply don’t want the bustle of a solar project nearby; the council, along with the help of members like Chris, is working to put hesitations to rest. Brother Skidmore gets a lot of questions when he’s on the jobsite about solar fields and isn’t afraid to answer.
“Farmers nowadays are using their land as a retirement fund. Whether it’s because their kids don’t want to farm or if they just want to get out of the business, these guys are getting helped out because of these projects.” Chris talks about the dynamic between farmers and solar fields. He urges everyone skeptical to do their own research about the effects of solar farms, ask questions to professionals (and the farmers who are selling land), and attend town hall meetings to get the answers they’re looking for.
“I love what I do, but I know I’m going to love retirement.” This year, Chris is going to be eligible for retirement through the union. He knows he could keep going, but he and his wife have a bucket list they want to complete, and the union pension and annuity are going to set them up to make that possible. In parting, Chris wanted younger members to remember, “The days are long, some are rough, you’ll be sore… but it’s all worth it.”
