Faces of the Diversion: Daniel Zavala

Daniel Zavala: [00:00:14] My name is Daniel Zavala and I’m part of the apprenticeship program with ASN Constructors. I’ve been with ASN for about nine months, have been doing construction for about two years now. So when I saw the opportunity for a heavy machine I had to get on it. It’s cool driving big trucks; never driven in a big machine before in my life so I thought it’d be a good chance to learn.

[00:00:35] When we first got here, they put them in the articulated trucks and then after that, about a month into the program, they sent us off to the college to learn how to use the machines. We got a lot of knowledge in class of how the machines work and once we were able to get more knowledge in that, we were able to learn the different equipment as we came out here.

[00:00:57] Working on the equipment was intimidating at first but once you get used to the controls it became very easy. So far I’ve learned the articulated trucks, the tractors, the Cat scrapers, and the excavators, and to choose my favorite it’d have to be the Cat scrapers.

[00:01:11] Some of these tractors have massaging seats, I mean you know it’s got the AC, it’s got the heated seats, they swivel back and forth so you know you can get a better look on the equipment behind you, it’s very comfortable.

[00:01:24] Being a part of the program is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s something you can’t pass up, you know, to be a part of a big historical project… it’s great.