FFA to Fabrication: Ashley Staley’s Story of Skill and Steel

Beneath the Surface with Pete Cohen

Pete Cohen is a Senior Project Manager with GPRS, specializing in ground penetrating radar technology and subsurface scanning for the construction industry. With extensive experience helping teams detect and map what lies beneath the surface before excavation or construction begins, Pete plays a key role in improving jobsite safety, efficiency, and project planning. Beyond his technical expertise, Pete is known as a dedicated father, trusted leader, and genuinely solid human being who values relationships as much as results. His ability to combine industry knowledge with humility, professionalism, and real-world perspective makes him a respected voice both on and off the jobsite. In this episode, Pete shares insights into the world of ground penetrating radar, the evolving future of construction technology, and the lessons he’s learned balancing leadership, family, and life in a demanding industry.

FFA to Fabrication: Ashley Staley’s Story of Skill and Steel

In this episode of Ruction Nation, we sit down with Ashley Staley, a structural steel welder who’s as sharp as she is skilled. Ashley’s journey started in FFA, where she first built the foundation of hard work, discipline, and hands-on learning that would carry her into the welding world. Today, she’s making her mark in the shop, earning respect not just for her precision and work ethic, but for her quick wit and down-to-earth personality. Ashley shares what it’s really like working in structural steel, the lessons she’s learned along the way, and how her background in FFA helped shape her path. From early sparks to mastering her craft, she talks about the pride that comes with building something that lasts and the mindset it takes to keep improving in a demanding trade. Looking ahead, Ashley has her sights set on becoming a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), pushing herself to grow beyond the booth and into the next phase of her career.

What 10 Trades Taught One Man About Work with Logan Sharp

Logan Sharp is a seasoned tradesman whose career spans some of the toughest and most demanding corners of the industry. From his early days working sleigh rides and logging operations, to turning wrenches as a diesel mechanic to superintendent, and now an owners rep. Logan built his foundation the hard way, through long hours, physical work, and hands-on problem solving. Over the years, he’s expanded his skillset across lumber operations, heavy highway and ready-mix maintenance, custom builds, and commercial construction. Today, Logan brings that same grit and experience into the industrial construction world, where precision, efficiency, and leadership matter more than ever. What sets Logan apart isn’t just the range of industries he’s worked in, it’s the depth of knowledge he carries from each one. He’s known for his work ethic, his ability to adapt, and his willingness to share what he’s learned with others coming up in the trades. A true “learn it, live it, pass it on” kind of guy, Logan Sharp represents the backbone of the workforce someone who’s earned every bit of his experience and continues to build on it every day.

Always in Demand with Bobby Armstrong

In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Armstrong, aka Blue-Collar Code, an HVAC tech with over 20 years in the trade, to talk about what it really takes to build a life and career in the blue-collar world. Bobby shares his journey from rock bottom to a successful career arc and the lessons he learned along the way. He talks about discipline, dependability, and doing every job like it’s your own home or your family’s. We get into the differences between residential and commercial work, why service work is always in demand, and how the trades continue to offer recession-proof opportunities for those willing to show up and put in the work. We also talk about the money in the trades, the importance of budgeting, and how social media has opened unexpected doors for Bobby and others in the industry. If you’ve ever thought about skipping the traditional path, getting into the trades, or just want a real, no-BS conversation about work ethic and opportunity, this one’s for you.

Cody and Nick: Behind the Hard Hat

In this special episode of Ruction Nation, Cody and Nick switch things up and put each other in the hot seat for a real, unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to grow in your career. From facing early struggles and feeling like the “young, green guy,” to dealing with the pressure that comes with promotions and responsibility. They break down the humbling role pride plays in your career, the truth behind choosing the right team, and why high school and even college fail to prepare you for the real world. This episode dives deep into the mental and physical demands of the construction industry, what it feels like to be overwhelmed, and how to find balance while still pushing forward. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to perform, questioned your path, or wondered if you’re really ready for what’s next—this one’s for you.