Ethan Somers is building his construction career one summer job at a time. After exploring landscaping and home remodeling, an internship with Bartz Construction sparked his interest in commercial construction. A recent graduate of Graven High School, Ethan plans to study construction management at Tenney State while continuing to gain hands-on experience toward his goal of one day starting his own business.
Ethan Somers just graduated from Graven High School and is spending the summer working with Bartz Construction. His path into construction started well before graduation—he spent three summers at Kelly’s Garden Center doing landscaping work like brickwork and waterfalls, followed by an internship with Empire Improvements focused on home remodels. That range of experience, from landscaping to residential remodeling to now commercial construction, has given him a broad view of the industry and helped him figure out where he fits best.
In high school, Ethan took blueprint reading, robotics, 3D printing, AutoCAD, and woods classes, all of which gave him a head start in understanding the field before entering the workforce. His career interests shifted along the way—he originally dreamed of working in turf and grass management at a golf course, but his hands-on experience with Empire Improvements and now Bartz Construction shifted his focus toward commercial construction, which he says is where he feels most engaged.
Ethan strongly believes in the value of getting real job experience before and during college, arguing that trade school and hands-on learning are just as important as a four-year degree. He plans to study construction management at Tenney State and intern with a different company each summer to explore different types of construction, such as commercial or concrete work, so he has a clear sense of direction after graduating.
Looking ahead, Ethan hopes to spend his first several years after college gaining experience as a superintendent or in construction management before eventually starting his own business, following the example of Jeremy at Bartz. He especially values working at a company where the team is young, supportive, and invested in teaching him the “why” behind the work rather than just assigning tasks.
