Graeme Hennessy

In my most recent position with Under Canvas, I took on more of a leadership role, helping train new team members from other departments; these employees needed to learn how to help manage facilities when we were understaffed. I ensured every evening that the workshop would be cleaned, organized and prepared for the next morning. As well overall camp maintenance, I helped repair mechanical issues with small gas-engine vehicles, propane systems, water systems and more.

I spent the full season at Under Canvas Acadia in Ellsworth, Maine and was there to help open the camp (in snow) and close down the camp in fall. During my time there a would troubleshoot issues with hot water heaters, broken piping, vehicle part replacement, and many more mechanical issues so that the resort could run smoothly.

My first experience with Under Canvas was a seasonal maintenance position at Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota. I learned all about the resort camp consumer travel experience here. My work required troubleshooting maintenance issues including fixing hot water heaters, manifolds, showers, toilets, large tent zippers, canvas, solar panels and more. This camp also gave a greater understanding of operating relevant tools and when to use them. When this camp needed a multi-passenger shuttle bus driver, I stepped up and added that responsibility to my duties and worked overtime hours.

I worked as a groundskeeper at the Central Florida Zoo, a large tourist attraction in Orlando. My duties were numerous and varied including operating and maintaining heavy machinery such as large ride-on lawn mowers and fork lifts. I handled blade sharpening, oil changes, filters, etc. I even maintained the animal habitat interiors. Other duties included: fence, wood & walkways repair, irrigation repair, foliage maintenance and removal. I worked in inclement weather; rain or shine in the hot Florida sun. Heavy lifting was a daily part of my job.

In this role, post high school., I helped renovate a historic wedding venue in Weaverville, NC. This was my start into this kind of construction/maintenance work and would be constructive in how I learned to operate tools safely and effectively. During this time, I also attended A-B Tech in Asheville and received a technical certification in Computer-Added Design (CAD)