Mill worker lands 'second best job ever'
Apr. 17—CANTON — When news broke a year ago that Pactiv Evergreen was closing the Canton paper mill, David Burke was one of many left in a tough spot.
As a 20-year employee, Burke, now 59, had counted on retiring from the mill.
"I was not as much in shock as irritated, mostly because I needed a job just three more years to retire," he said.
His dilemma was whether to take advantage of the retraining opportunities offered thanks to a National Dislocated Worker Grant, find another manufacturing job, which would likely mean traveling outside the county, or finding whatever he could in Haywood County.
He'd worked at Rockwell Industries in Weaverville for a time and knew he didn't want to drive that far for a job. After brainstorming job options, he and his wife stumbled upon heating and air conditioning work.
"Normally when we called anybody to look at our system, it was older people who came," Burke said. "I thought, if those older people could do that, maybe it was something I could do that wouldn't be overly physically challenging, but still provide income to make our bills."
That's what led him to the Haywood Community College HVAC program. Burke finished the Level 1 course before Christmas and started looking for work. Since the classes were in the evening, he enrolled in the Level 2 course.
It turned out to be a good decision and one that led to his dream job — one he said basically involved "tinkering."
Burke now works at Mountain Creek Apartments in Waynesville as a service technician, where he helps maintain the heating and cooling system in the 200-plus complex.
While the complex is brand spanking new, there are still things that can go awry with new equipment, Burke explained. The rest of his time is spent on tasks like changing light bulbs, doing touch-up painting, fixing light switches, repairing cabinet doors — basically things he'd done around the family farm as a young boy.
"This, so far, is the second-best job I've ever had in my life," he said of the job he's held since January. "It's because I didn't know this was a tinkering job."
While he misses his work at the mill, the $30-an-hour salary there, and the people he worked with, Burke said he and his wife, a retired teacher, have made adjustments to their lifestyle, and are getting by on about two-thirds of his previous salary.
Lifestyle changes
Burke was one of the mill workers who stayed until the last day, which meant he received a severance package to help make ends meet until he found another job.
The couple cut back on phone and television expenses, planted a large garden and did a lot of canning to reduce food costs.
They used part of their severance to pay off vehicle debt, and learned they could withdraw funds from their 401(k) retirement fund penalty free, so they used funds from there to pay off their home mortgage.
Burke spent the summer and fall learning new skills and began seriously looking for a job in December.
Plenty of help
Burke praised NC Works, which has a comprehensive listing of available jobs and had hired extra staff to work closely with mill employees and others who lost jobs with the plant closure.
"This started with going to NC Works and signing up," Burke said. "They were a big help. Every time a job fair came open, or every time an employer contacted them about an opening in my field, they'd contact me."
He also had high praise for Haywood Community College.
"They had a lot of financial aid and grant information — places to get funds so that it wasn't an out-of-pocket expense for me to go back to school," he said.
It was his instructor at HCC who told him about getting health insurance through Mountain Projects, Burke said. Initially the family eliminated its health insurance coverage as part of a cost-cutting measure.
During the lean months late in 2023, Burke said the food boxes available in the county helped make ends meet.
"Haywood Christian Ministry is awesome," he said. "That was a short-term need that we had, especially toward November and December, when the severance money was getting low."
Jeff Hill, a case worker under the National Dislocated Worker Grant, became a key player in Burke's journey toward a new career. Hill provided information on options, and encouraged his client to apply for what Burke now considers his dream job.
"He was really confused coming out of the mill, like a lot of them were," Hill said. "He wasn't sure which way to turn. He didn't fancy the idea of driving to Buncombe County and wanted to stay close to home. I'm happy he came by and got the job he needed. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."
In all, the Burkes have come through the transition and are poised for a new future, albeit one that's different from what they were planning at the beginning of 2023.
After landing his present job that he fondly calls "tinkering," Burke believes he's found his calling.
"If I had known there were jobs like this in high school, I would have lined up for the job title I have here," Burke said. "I get paid to tinker with stuff."
