
Sword&Spade Skipping College, Finding Vocation and Dignified Work
Cody and Sebastion share their journey from schooling to careers in framing and construction instead of college. They discuss starting in the trades as teenagers, launching a construction company, Atlas, choosing to stay rooted in their local community, converting to Catholicism, and building a culture of craftsmanship. The conversation explores work-life integration, mentorship, competency over artificial self-esteem, and the future of skilled trades.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction & Background
03:34 - Cody's Journey into Construction
08:01 - The College Question
14:30 - Starting Atlas Framing Company
19:49 - Sebastian's Path
26:03 - From General Contractor to Specialist
33:37 - Faith & Conversion
45:58 - Community & Rootedness
49:23 - Catholic Trade Schools & Durable Trades
56:13 - The Future of Construction
1:07:45 - Competency Over Self-Esteem
1:11:25 - Work Culture & Faith on the Job Site
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Resources
- Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel
- Durable Trades by Rory Groves
- Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford
- Fraternus
