Spencer Jester

Panera Bread was my first job during the tail end of my highschool education. I learned how to handle cash and accurately use a point of sales system, but most importantly Panera taught me how to work effectively with team members of different backgrounds, and work with people to maintain a clean and streamlined working environment. My roles in the restaurant varied widely by what was needed. At times I was serving, and at others I was washing dishes or cooking. I began to understand the restaurant comprehensively, and could assist with the responsibilities of other team members.

QSR Productions handles many of the live events and conventions around Tulsa and Oklahoma city. As part of QSR's team of stagehands, I had a hand in the set up and tear down of million dollar concerts and nationwide televised events. At odd hours of the day and night, I would convert the BOK center from a hockey rink to a basketball court or a concert stage with the QSR team in the span of 5-6 hours. Timelines were vitally important in my role, and working very quickly and efficiently were essential to keeping the events on schedule. I used impacts, hammers, drills, screwdrivers, and wrenches to assemble large stage props and set pieces. The most valuable skill I developed during my time at QSR was a team mindset. Everyone had to work together cohesively to finish the job, and being on that team helped me develop a sense of camaraderie that I've taken to later jobs.

As a fitter welder at S&T, my responsibilities ranged from material handling and basic assembly using tack welds, hammers, clamps, and pry bars, to finishing structures with full stringer welds, and plug welds. I began by helping a team complete a heat transfer unit, and withing two months was placed in charge of building my own, reading and interpreting specification drawings with a new hire under me. My time at S&T significantly developed my technical skills running MIG and Flux core processes, and strengthened my abilities as a shot caller, learning to work quickly, accurately, and on a deadline. I left S&T to pursue higher education at Tulsa Community College, later transferring to Oklahoma State University.