Built to Work: Episode 5: Matteo Rivera | Premier Scrap Services

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx3qsJR-65A

[00:00-14:32] 

Welcome to Built to Work the podcast that gets its hands dirty dives into the grid and uncovers the heart of what makes the blue-collar world tick I'm Colin your host and I'm sitting down with the people who keep our world running from those tackling the tough jobs no one else dares to do to the HR professionals working overtime to find the labor force we desperately need Whether you're in the trenches or behind the scenes this podcast is for anyone who values hard work determination and stories that build the backbone of our workforce So grab your gloves your coffee or your clipboard It's time to get to work I am sitting here with Mateo another one of Premier's awesome employees one of our team members Um Mateo tell me about yourself Tell me about Mateo outside of work Mm-hmm Mateo as outside of work Yes Well I don't know where to start because- outside of work might been like mi- mi- might be like weekend right Mm-hmm Because the you know with Blue Scoop we work uh sometimes from s- from Monday to Saturday Okay And um we got some stuff that we gotta do on weekend like do laundry and- Mm-hmm go buy our food and get ready- Uh-huh for Monday Get ready for Monday So yeah Yeah cram it all into one day Yeah Yeah But uh when there is vacation- Mm-hmm you know like uh December- Mm-hmm well I used to to go to get to know another s- you know another states or cities- Uh-huh from the United States Okay For instance last year I went to Las Vegas Las Vegas Yep Oh yeah What'd you think of Las Vegas Oh it was really awesome It was really awesome Yeah it was a wonderful experience Uh-huh Yeah It was the first time it it was the first time uh I I I went to Las Vegas Okay Yeah Gotcha Yeah that's true Yeah I did many many things there Yeah Yeah It's a it's a fun city There's a lot going on there Oh yeah A lot of things to do- Yeah Our uh the the recycled metals industry um there's an organization called the Recycled Materials Association that we belong to and their annual conference was in Las Vegas this year So we went out there for that to go meet some other customers and stuff like that and I had not been to Las Vegas as an adult and there is a lot going on in that city Oh yeah It's a it's a crazy city It's a crazy city for sure Yeah For sure Uh they say that it's the the city that ne- never sleep Mm-hmm Yeah Yeah that's the truth And I and I found out it's true It's true Yeah You can not sleep if you want to ......... Yeah absolutely Yeah Um so do you have uh any family Yeah I do Okay Yeah That's My family's only my wife Okay All right Yep Gotcha it's easier that way sometimes Yeah Kids are a lot of work Yeah Yeah No I understand No not too big Not too big no Yeah Uh no Those are those are the easy times Yeah So um all right So we were talking a little bit before You've been with Premier for about a year now A little over a year I I yeah Okay A little bit under a year That's great That's great And so tell me about what your role is What do you do on a daily basis Daily basis Yeah like what's your what's your roles and your job and your position Okay Well when I started I was uh I was working with my guys like trying to do the job better and uh trying to make Blue Scoop uh trust in us you know Trying to organize which guy uh suit he uh fit here and the other here here Okay Yeah And then when when time pass pass by uh we were getting better better and better And then I was given the the the building like around the building make sure everything is all right is okay in the building Mm-hmm Keep an eyes on the building uh like- Okay So doing a lot of lot of cleaning around the building making sure that it's it's safe and clean around the facility It's not much Yeah it it include that but uh- Mm-hmm it was like uh taking care of the belt Okay So so- You know like not having a ripped belt or Okay Maintenance Yeah yeah Like kind of maintenance Mm-hmm Yeah Okay But not like doing fixing when it is uh ripped- Mm-hmm but call you know Okay Call somebody you know And um- Yeah yeah somebody manage person right And um it was like that Then uh they gave me the opportunity to to uh to to have a training about forklift you know operation And then I started driving forklift and then uh I had one of my guys doing um what I used to do you know So we work like a team Okay Yeah And I tell them "Okay now you're gonna do this." I tell I t- I taught them how to do it Mm-hmm Each one got the one responsibility Yeah yeah It's not like only picking picking picking you know Like they- Yeah keep it nice They uh do different kind of stuff They don't only keep inside Mm-hmm They go outside cleaning whatever the supervisor need Okay So yeah and on the forklift uh they they I used to do many things I mean I used to do many thing Mm-hmm Yeah so Um I'm doing many things You're doing a lot of things Yeah many things Yeah you're kinda do a little bit of this little bit of that Yeah little bit Yes Yeah Yeah So keeping busy all day Yes So we are here enjoying ice cream- Mm-hmm in December in Northern Ohio so it's cold outside Mm-hmm Um uh you said uh you get you get pretty cold You're inside and outside on these cold days Yeah Yeah Absolutely Yeah Yep.Mm-hmm That's a that's a tough one to stay warm on these cold days Yeah It was very n- It was very um couple of weeks uh months ago because uh you know it was winter Uh-huh Yeah I used to operate my forklift good moving stuff taking this to that Uh-huh You know because the people call me on the radio "Mateo I need this." "Mateo I need that Mateo I need this." You know Yeah So it was good But now it's it getting you know- It's cold like it's cold Yeah You have to learn to drive the drive the forklift on the ice and snow right Mm-hmm Power slide that around so Yeah That's right Yeah Um so I have very little forklift driving experience Uh I know that it can be fun Mm-hmm Uh is that something you enjoy doing Mm-hmm Yeah Yeah Yeah And uh talking about other things that I do in my work is that you know Blue Scoop got different building like uh metal building um picking- Mm-hmm picking station building Yeah ICW building The They got media building Mm-hmm Aluminum building Okay So in each of those building we got guys So I keep moving from building to building also from when I get time- Mm-hmm you know making sure they they they got their everything they need Okay Like take the glasses glove Okay You know PPE Okay So taking a role making sure everybody's safe right Yeah Yeah Yeah Making sure making sure that if they need something like water or whatever Mm-hmm Yeah Oh That's that's important So uh safety safety is so important right Yeah So you see I keep moving and then yeah Uh-huh Always doing something different Yeah Do something different We want everybody to come home uh with the same number of fingers and toes that- Mm-hmm uh that they came into the work with right So And eyes as well Mm-hmm So safety glasses- Yep are super important for that Yeah So um okay No that's great You you're from you're from Nicarag- Nicaragua originally Um you're living here in Ohio Yup Um what have you found about Ohio's food choices What do you like most about food in Ohio That's a- You could you could say nothing as well That's an acceptable answer Yeah But uh I'm gonna answer It's only that uh you know we as we keep busy- Mm-hmm so we don't we don't have time to hang out almost Yeah And um when we hang out we hang out with Mexican or Spanish people- Mm-hmm so we don't know too much uh about you know American food Okay Because we go to Mexican restaurants Okay As they are you know Mexican and then- Uh-huh and or or Nicaraguan So Yeah Yeah But recently I've been hanging out with some you know people from here Ohio- Mm-hmm From Blue Scoop Uh-huh And I've been eating some delicious food Okay Actually well I don't remember the names but then like cheese hamburger like pizza you know Mm-hmm Visiting Harvees visiting Harveys Uh-huh Yeah So- Standard American foods Yeah Yes Okay Yeah So uh it's I'm I'm really bad to memorizing names You know like- Yeah the names and of people- Hm and foods names also Yeah But you've really dialed in that you know your Mexican-American foods now right Yeah It's uh here is you know there are many culture So- Mm-hmm you are involved in American culture I mean North American culture Mm-hmm American culture So- Yeah Yeah many things You know Chinese- also Oh you said Chinese food Because it's you know- It's all different We got yeah- Yeah different kind of food So uh in in Ohio they have a place called Skyline Chili and I've only eaten there once but they take spaghetti noodles and put chili on top of it I don't understand it I guess some people are crazy about it but ......... Yeah I don't understand that But noth- nothing against Ohio but- Yeah uh you know that's- The thing yeah Some of um let's say my coworkers- Uh-huh they ask me the same question you are asking me so I It's it's diff- it difficult for me to say something because there I have you know every time they ask me "What do you like Mateo What do you want when we hang out?" Mm-hmm I tell them "Whatever what you recommend me." I just wanna try something new Uh-huh Yeah Okay And so they okay I'm gonna Let me see Uh ah try this Uh-huh This is really nice If it's good- I'm gonna try it All right But uh they are really nice I can tell you that North American food that it's really good That's good Like- Okay All right Well- Mm-hmm I'll I'll take your word for it So I've eaten a lot of it Yeah So that's great Um do you uh do you follow any sports Um A fan of any uh American football your football soccer I'm not too much fan of of sport- Okay but I like it Mm-hmm I can tell you that um I don't remember it was like 3 weeks ago I went to see a hockey hockey game Oh really Okay Yeah Yeah With one of the coworker from Let's go by the way was a sup- supervisor manager supervisor Okay Yeah I went uh with him and it was the first time I saw them You know it was crazy and- Yeah yeah- lots of peo- that's that's a different sport Yeah he got different- people hit each other- Ah you know like they they get upset easily you know Uh-huh Yeah they- Yeah it was funny Yeah I enjoyed I enjoy I had fun- They're just looking for a reason- to have a fist fight I think they just want to fight- those hockey players just to- Yeah yeah I I asked them like "What's up It's not normal." Yeah in this game that's normal like people get pissed off and you know- Uh-huh really- "I can-" easy " I think I can enjoy that about the sport." Yeah Yeah And then- So- Okay okay So but then they they just it's like nothing happened Yeah They continue playing So- Yeah Okay all right we're friends now Yeah Yeah Absolutely So that was funny Yeah Yeah No absolutely it is Yeah Um well uh you know I kinda wanna ask you I guess a little bit about Premier Um you know we've been with Premier for about a year as well and um we're looking to grow Premier We wanna make Premier the the best company that it can be Mm-hmm We wanna take over the world Uh we love what you guys are doing um you know with what you're doing for our customer the roles you guys are taking Um what what do you think that our customer that you work for appreciates most about the role that you and your team does The customer Yeah What do you think they like most about having- All right Premier there The most I like it Well I could say then that the guys are they say yes when they they want something to be done Okay And I you know being like always there Mm-hmm They say "Mateo uh need 2 guys here." "Okay." Right "There you will There you have it." Okay Yeah And then uh they say "Ma- Mateo we need the the guys here." "Okay there you have it." Okay And I know um which guys is good for this job or which guy is better for this other one Mm-hmm You know like they they know because they got experience recently or they did that job uh recently like- Yeah yeah clean this you know like yeah stuff like that So that's what they liked a lot Okay So- Yeah that the guys are um always there Mm-hmm Yeah and doing things like keeping- Yeah Keeping busy So- Yeah Yeah our our Premier guys they're showing up they're getting to the job Yep And then we can go get done what needs If the customer needs something done our guys are able to go get it done for them Absolutely Yeah Yep We're not saying- They always say- "No we can't do that." No Yeah They never say and us a leader never sa- never tell them "Okay I cannot have guys there because uh we did this and this," you know complaining Mm-hmm No I say "Okay let's see how we can do it," so we- Oh know Got it done huh Yeah All right Awesome Well that's great to know So I always wanna you know hear as much feedback as I can from our guys that are actually doing the work out there So no that's great Um well hey Mateo thank you so much I really appreciate your time Very nice to meet you and uh thank you to all Thank you for all that you do for Premier So we- No problem appreciate you