At just 20 years old, Emery Beatty has already discovered that college wasn’t the right fit. Instead, he followed his passion for working with his hands, starting with a high school shop class and a framing job with a friend’s dad. Now a carpenter, Emery values the teamwork it takes to raise a structure and encourages others to test the waters of construction without the burden of debt.
For Emery Beatty, sitting still in a classroom never felt right. “In high school, I was not a big sit-down-and-just-look-at-the-chalkboard-and-learn,” he says. A shop class changed everything, sparking his interest in working with his hands. That interest quickly became a job when a friend’s dad needed help framing houses.
Emery soon realized that traditional college wasn’t his path. Instead, he leaned into carpentry, where he could stay active, learn by doing, and contribute to something tangible. “Yes, it takes more than one person to get the job done,” he says. “It’s great to see a bunch of guys get together and put something that is unimaginable to go up.”
At just 20 years old, Emery is already carving out his place in the construction industry. He sees it as a field full of opportunity—with little downside to giving it a try. “You can always put your foot in the door, and there’s always work to be done. It’s not something you have to do for the rest of your life. You’re not going in debt. You can always just test the waters and see what it’s like.”
For Emery, carpentry isn’t just about building structures—it’s about building a career, one project at a time.
