Building a Career on Relationships, Goals, and the Courage to Change
Growing up on a small family farm in High Point, growing tobacco and raising cattle, Trent Hayworth was used to hard work and manual labor. He is grateful for their parents, who supported his desire to find the career that best suited his aspirations. His Dad was a mechanic, and at first, Trent was leaning in that direction. But by middle school, a new passion emerged. “I started taking art and design classes in middle and high school. I took drafting courses at Ledford High School, which spurred my interest in becoming an architect.”
Upon graduation, Trent went to Forsyth Technical Community College for two years, where his education focused on architecture’s design process – how a building looks and feels. His next step was applying to Appalachian State University to take courses on constructibility and technical understanding of building structures. “The App State classes addressed skills like estimating, scheduling, and everything you need to know to work for a General Contractor. Unfortunately for me, there was no formal relationship between Forsyth Tech and App at that time. I had to petition to transfer my 78 credit hours because App would only give me 6. In part, due to my efforts, an understanding between the schools developed, and now, there is no issue for students transferring their Forsyth Tech architectural class credits to App.”
The Appalachian State Construction Sciences program included a mandatory internship, which Trent planned to complete in the summer after his senior year. He contacted Carl Carney because he had a positive experience with Carl and Davie Construction in 2015 when they built Mount Pleasant Church in Thomasville. “I met Carl, Brad (Chapman), Brian, and Jamie (Bowles) because my Dad was the chairman of the building committee. I attended meetings and sent out emails for my Dad. Also, our pastor, Chris Clontz, was a friend of Carl’s, so there was a great sense of fellowship throughout that project. When I needed advice for my internship, I reached out to Carl.”
Carl suggested that Trent contact John Fuller, small town local architect, and ask if he needed a summer intern. The answer was yes, and the internship went so well that in September 2019, he signed on as a full-time draftsman. Trent worked with the firm for five years, and although COVID-19 impacted the experience, he did have many opportunities to work with the Davie team on several shared projects. “My favorite part of the job was problem-solving and using the 3-D modeling and As-Built drawing programs to develop and update building plans. I worked most of the time on projects for Frank (Chapman) in dental, health, and veterinary construction. My experience with our farm animals made the veterinary practice projects particularly interesting as there was a parallel between what I was doing at home and my job.”
After five years working for an architect, Trent was ready to take on new challenges and expand his skill set and career experiences. He shared his wishes with Carl, and after discussions with Keith and Frank, Trent was offered a job at Davie. “It was an amicable situation,” said Trent. “John understood why I wanted to do more, and we continue to work together on many projects. Now I’m wearing a Davie Construction hat! It was the right time and place to make that change.”
A year has passed, and Trent is glad he took the risk and transitioned from architect to project engineer. From the start, he felt right at home with the Davie family. Trent is particularly pleased that he now works with a group of young professionals going through similar life experiences, building their careers while growing their families and community ties. “I was considerably the youngest employee at my last job. At Davie, I work with a big group of folks who are the same age, more or less. ”
Trent’s work at Davie includes working directly with Frank, Brad, and the preconstruction team on drafting, 3-D conceptual models, As-Built drawings, estimates, and job changes. He’s on the weekly client video meetings and calls with Frank, the architect, and the engineers on projects. He prepares for and attends trade fairs and conferences. “I’m also helping market the medical, dental, and veterinary services with Frank and Cody,” said Trent. “We send out 50,000-250,000 emails every month, engage in digital marketing, and have a new project right now that results from those efforts. ”
After a year of “being in the room” with Frank’s clients weekly during their planning and construction process, Trent believes that regular contact is unique to Davie Construction and a key reason for our success and high level of repeat clients. “We show our clients by our weekly presence that we are engaged in their project at every step. These meetings give us an opportunity to educate them, explain any changes, answer questions, and avoid misunderstandings. It’s an investment of time upfront for our team, but it pays out with high satisfaction and positive client feedback.”
Trent’s advice to those who are in their first jobs out of college and are afraid to make a change? “Even if you wish you were doing something else, until you can, absorb as much information in our current job as possible. Use everything you can learn to your advantage, even time management and effective business communication. Build your network and expand your horizons. And never burn any bridges. You’ll know when it’s time to make a change. Don’t be afraid to make a move.”
There are several reasons why Trent is grateful for his career transition. “I know there is growth within Davie, and our clients and my team recognize and appreciate my hard work. I take great pride in knowing that the buildings we work on fulfill their owners’ dreams. Many of them will continue to serve those who built them for decades to come. We’re making buildings we can be proud of that become part of the history of a community. ”
Trent and his wife, Taylor, have a two-year-old son, Clay, and are expecting their daughter in the fall. When he isn’t working for Davie, Trent works on the family farm, fishing, hunting, and spending time with his family. He is a lifelong Mount Pleasant Church member and former president of the Men’s Group.