Reprinted Story from Northbay Biz | Author Brandon McCapes
FROM RODEO COWBOY TO FOUNDER OF AJD BUILDERS, ADAM DIAZ KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR A CAREER IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
Adam Diaz is a man who knows the value of hard work. He began working in the construction industry when he was just seven years old. Today, he is at the helm of AJD Builders, constructing high-end custom homes in the Bay Area. Though Diaz is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in construction management and architectural engineering, he believes the trades, including construction, are often overlooked in favor of promoting the academic pathway to success. “I firmly believe in some form of higher education beyond high school to expand horizons and collaborate with like-minded people”, said Diaz, “but is college the end all be all? Absolutely not, in my opinion” – said Diaz in an email to Northbay Biz.
I live by a rule of no regrets. I’ve learned more from my bad experiences than my good ones.
– Adam Diaz, Founder AJD Builders
“College, like a job, should serve a purpose. It should serve an end result and should inevitably better one’s life,” Diaz says, “But that is not the case these days. High School students are taught that it is necessary to go to college, blindly following marching orders from counselors, peers, and societal pressures. These marching orders often serve the purpose of promoting the status of the high school, college, and associated staff, while the well-being of the students and teachers are misplaced, overlooked, or disregarded.”
Diaz believes educators should place more emphasis on the trades, than they currently do, as a career option for students. Read the full story as Diaz shares his path to developing a career and forming a business in the industry built on the foundation of hard work, trust, and respect for other.