Imagine you’re a month away from graduating, but instead of going to school you move to Indiana and get a full time job at a GM factory.
At any other time this would sound like a very surprising decision, but the world we are living in right now is very far from normal. That move to Indiana to work full time in a GM factory is exactly what Aidan McCahil, a senior at EGR, did.
“I was getting pretty restless sitting at home. It seemed like a great way to help people while also making some money for college. Plus I thought it would be really interesting to be a part of a major car company trying to incorporate ventilators in their production, it’s something that’s never been done,” McCahill said. “[My family] was scared at first but are super proud of me. I really appreciate them trusting me to live by myself.”
This alone is impressive, for someone still in high school to have the work ethic that Aidan does is very uncommon. Working 11 hour night shifts, and even giving up holidays to work is deserving of serious appreciation.
“Working 11 hour night shifts and working on Easter wasn’t fun, but my coworkers are really funny, great people who make it go by faster. My favorite part about the job is how new everything is not just to me but for everyone involved. It’s like I’m part of a startup, there are changes everyday which is sometimes frustrating but I’ve learned about how people deal with setbacks,”
Being a part of such a monumental effort alone is an exciting experience, but having direct input and being able to troubleshoot on the spot is something that makes Aidan’s experience even better.
“I get to be involved in problem solving and making things run smoother because everyone here is encouraged to make suggestions which I love.”
When talking about the essential workers during this pandemic, the people on the “frontline” on the disease are the ones in the national spotlight. Those include health care workers, social assistance/public safety officers, teachers, and even grocers. What doesn’t come to mind is the people behind the scenes, like McCahill, but they are still working to save lives.
“It’s honestly pretty awesome and I can’t wait to tell my grandkids about how I was a part of a historic effort to save lives. I’m not doing this all for charity though, I’ve made some good money so if anyone wants to come down and join me there’s room for one more in my apartment!” McCahill said.
Despite the long work days and the lack of in person contact with his family and friends,
McCahill has managed to combat the boredom that afflicts most of the country right now.
“The biggest surprise for me is that I haven’t minded the isolation, I’ve stayed busy with school and work, and there’s a lot of outside country to play basketball on. It also helps that I am always FaceTiming or zooming family and friends. Sometimes I just walk around my apartment naked just for the hell of it, it makes me feel invincible,” McCahill said in regards to his free time.
While there is no way to tell how much longer this pandemic will last, and no way to know how much longer McCahill will stay working for GM, what is known is that he is sacrificing his time in order to help the country. Aidan will be attending Tulane University (hopefully in the fall) and will be on a pre-med track. He will be starting college not only with some extra money in his pocket, but experience that is long past his years and will set him up for success.