CANCO welcomes former teacher to career in construction
TJ Duncan, Project Engineer
6 months, 1 week ago
Project Engineer TJ Duncan was a PE teacher, coach for more than 13 years before making the leap.
Carl A. Nelson & Company (CANCO) is pleased to welcome to the project management team in its Burlington, Iowa, office, former physical education teacher TJ Duncan, who came on board June 10, 2024, in the role of project engineer.
After earning a bachelor's degree in physical education in 2010 from the University of Central Missouri, TJ taught and coached for more than 13 years at schools in Memphis, Missouri; St. Louis, Letts, Iowa; and finally Danville, Iowa, before coming to CANCO.
"You take an open lot and turn it into something special," Duncan said of the construction trades. "I get to be a part of that."
Although his career has not been in construction up until now, TJ's industry training won't be from scratch, He is a veteran of DIY construction projects at home, and worked in construction during college, and later worked in landscaping and real estate. A former athlete himself in baseball and basketball, TJ said it was a construction project at the local sports facility where he was completing an accounting internship that led him to teaching and coaching. After 13 years, he was looking for another change, one that would allow him to "challenge myself and grow."
TJ said he reached out to CANCO about the possibility of changing careers, and job-shadowed with the firm during his final spring break as a teacher in March 2024.
He is looking forward to learning on the job with a company with the history and reputation for quality CANCO possesses
"I was impressed with the culture," he said. "The culture spoke volumes to me."
Away from work, TJ is married and a father of two: Carter, 9; and Carli, 8. His wife of 13 years, Lisa, is a home health physical therapist with Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa. He enjoys time spent with family and in the outdoors, including hunting and DIY projects, as well as youth sports, including coaching his daughter and supporting his son from the stands. Family travel to the Caribbean is another favorite pastime.