Jared Smith completed a co-op work term with Blueprint Framing LTD from April 29 to August 30, 2012. During his time there, he gained valuable hands-on experience framing residential houses and took on increasing responsibilities. He learned framing techniques, safety practices, and developed skills using tools. Jared contributed by taking initiative, asking questions, and creating a reference notebook of job descriptions. The co-op reinforced concepts from his architecture and construction courses and allowed him to apply classroom knowledge on site. He felt the experience was very beneficial for exploring a potential career in framing.

1. Engineering Technician/Technology
Co-op Programs
CO-OP WORK EXPERIENCE REPORT
Student Name: Jared Smith
Student I.D. #: 200193639
Program:
Architecture: ARTC ARTE
Civil: CVTN CVTY
Environmental: ENTN ENVR
HRAC: HRAC
Co-op Work Term#: 1 2 3
Dates of Work Term: Start:29/04/12(dd/mm/yy) End:30/08/12(dd/mm/yy)
Company Name: Blueprint Framing LTD
Student Position Title: Framer/Labour
Date of Report: September 28, 2012
INSTRUCTIONS:
 Save –Save this document to your computer and use as a template for completion
of your report.
 Report Format – Report must be typed in paragraph format; point form notes will
not be accepted. Use the tab key to move from one field to the next
 Spell check – Spell check will be enabled after all sections are complete – use the
tab key after your response to question #11 to activate spell check.
 Co-op Documents – Hand this report in with your completed Employer Evaluation
form and Learning Outcomes Checklist by the dates outlined in the Co-op and
Career Services Student Manual.
 Submit your documents to:
Stan Ryba, Co-op Consultant – Student Development, 705-728-1968 ext. 5263
Stan.Ryba@georgiancollege.ca , Fax. 705-722-1540, Office B110

2. CO-OP REPORT:
Introduction:
1. Provide a description of the company you worked with (i.e. what do they do, how
long have they been in business):
During the Summer work term, I was working for Blueprint Framing which is
based out of London, Ontario. Rob Cannon has been framing with him brother,
Ron, since they graduated high school. Rob and Ron have over 25 years of work
experience and have always worked together but they took on different careers.
Ron Cannon operates and owns Cannon Homes and his brother, Rob, frames
the residential houses for him.
2. Provide a description of the department you worked in (i.e. # of employees, main
function):
While I was working in London, I saw many workers come and go throughout the
weeks. We had only 3 main, reliable employees; Rob Cannon, Rob Criece and
myself. Rob Criece was the Lead Hand and has over 5 years of experience and I
was the Labourer. Since we only had 3 workers, I stepped up and started
learning lots more about the construction and assembly of residental homes.
Content:
3. Provide a comprehensive description of your responsibilities: If your job does
not fit into the daily/weekly schedule, just be sure to write a full explanation of
what you accomplished during the work term.(provide a minimum of 500 words
in response to this question)
Duties performed daily:
Before the first day of work began, Rob Cannon and I had a talk about safety at
the workplace. He showed me the right way to go about doings things and he also
showed me the wrong way. After the safety lesson I was asked to seal and wrap
the house with TypeHomeward. I completed the job by taping the corners and
stapling the wrap down to the plywood. After the second day was over, I could tell
that Rob really liked my work effort and I found out that Rob fired the other co-op
student from Fans awe that he had working. As the Summer continued, my job
responsibilities grew. By the end of the Summer, I had a notepad filled with job
descriptions and questions to ask Rob. The start of each house was the same.
Rob Criece and I would mark out the bottom plates (lining the up with the anchor
bolts) and cut them all around the exterior of the house. Before we attached the
bottom plates to the anchor bolts we would lay down foam gasket and then screw
bolts onto the anchor bolts. After the bottom plates were on, we would measure
and cut our belt (rim board). We would nail the belt on to the exterior of the bottom
plate. Rob Cannon would layout the positioning of the floor joists as I cut the joists
the correct length. They would set the joists into place as I nailed the hangers on
the belt. When all of the joists were set into place, we could then start sheeting the

3. first floor. We would always start in the back-left hand corner. We would ensure
that the first row going across would be straight by marking 4’ from the back wall
using a chalk line. The first sheet on the second floor would always start in the
middle of the one betide it (running bond pattern). After the entire first floor is
sheeted, we would start framing the exterior walls. I would look at the plan and
mathematically figure out all the 2”x4” material that we needed and I would lay
the wall out as Criece would measure and cut the top and bottom plates. I would
pick up each board individually and check for the crowns (crowns always up). As I
was laying out the 2”x4” studs Rob and Rob would nail the studs to the top and
bottom plates. When one of the exterior walls was completed, I would start putting
the plywood sheathing on it (which goes on like the sheets on the floor joists).
After the sheathing was on all the exterior walls, Rob usually stood the wall at this
point. Instead of standing the walls now, I talked to Rob and came up with a better
idea. As an alternative we could simply staple the homewrap on now instead of
doing it later and making it harder for ourselves (me) by climbing up and down on
a ladder. When the exterior walls are complete, we just throw up the interiors by
checking for crowns and putting blocks in where the interior wall meets the
exterior and also laying them on 16” o.c. And there you have your first floor! The
second floor isn’t much different, only your higher up working. First step, again,
attach the belt to the bottom plate. Layout your second floor joists 16” o.c., set the
joists into place with hangers. After the joists are all up, we would start sheeting
the second floor deck. Build the exteriors, make 3 blocks (2’,4’ and 6’ from the top
plate) to attach the interior wall to the exterior wall. After all walls are up, we call
order our roof trusses. When the roof trusses come, we lay them out and start at
the back end, working to the front. I would put runners on the trusses (which
prevents them from turning or moving), marking them out the same lengths apart
as they are on the top plate. The last step was the sheet the roof. We follow the
same pattern as it is for the floors or sheathing exterior walls, only where the
corners meet it becomes difficult.
Duties performed weekly:
At the end of each week I would clean up our site and drive to the dump to
unload our scrap. Making it a nice, clean work environment for Monday morning.
Duties performed monthly:
N/A
4. What contributionsdid you make to the departmentand to the company:
I helped in any possible way that I could think of- always running from job to job.
When everyone was standing around waiting for Rob to assign them a job, I was
cleaning our site. Rob alwayssaid that I remind him of a younger him- with my
drive and determination. Since I made a notebook which was filled with simple job
descriptions that Rob gave me throughout the work term, I would never have to
ask the same question twice- which Rob liked. And anyone who didn't know how
to complete one of those jobs, they could simply just take a look at my book and
complete there job.

4. 5. Describe the knowledge you gained while on the job (include, where possible,
how the knowledge gained from your courses was beneficial):
I gained an exceptional amount of knowledge throughout this work term. With
having 8 months of book work under my belt, I was dying to apply it. Just being
on the site, hearing the terms, actually seeing how things are put together help
an enormous amount. There were terms were I thought I knew what they meant
but I learned that I was wrong. But like they say, the best way to learn is failure.
6. Describe the skills you developed on the job and/or skills that were reinforced
from your courses taken:
My building skills definitely improve drastically. I now feel confident with a
hammer and numerous other tools. I made a deal with the younger Rob; you
teach me how to build houses, and I will teach you how to read prints. The deal
worked really well.
7. Describe the work attitudes/values that you learned were important on the job:
Work attitude is very important on the job site. When one worker was frustrated,
it would carry over on to the others. We would always say that we were family.
Things always went more smoothly when we worked as a family.
8. Any changes you would make on how the company operated?
The only thing I would change is to start even earlier in the day.
9. Academic suggestions – improvements to the program?
N/A
10.What could you have done to make your co-op experience more fulfilling?
Even though I believe asked everyone lots of questions, I still wish I asked more
and more. The more questions I asked, the more I learned. I cannot wait until my
second term co-op but hopefully it will be more fulfilling by actually getting paid for
work instead of volunteering.
11. Other comments you wish to make regarding this co-op experience?
I enjoyed my co-op immensely. Made me actually think about becoming a framer.
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5. Learning Outcomes:
Please attach your program specific learning outcomes (found on Blackboard) to
this document.
Employer Evaluation:
Please attach your employer evaluation (found on Blackboard) to this document.