Investing In Yourself
- June 23, 2026
- By Lisa Grant
JT Bagby is back in the chair, and this time he came with news. First on the show back in Episode 11 last December, the journeyman pipefitter, instructor, and executive board member returns to go deeper on his story and share where he sees himself heading next.
Host Ryan Kleber and JT trace the full journey: from running the same part 1,200 times on the GE assembly line, to a father-in-law who first showed him what a pipefitter actually does, to quitting his job the day he got the call to start in the trade in 2014. They talk about the mentors who taught him that the union is about more than fitting pipe, what it takes to balance being a journeyman, an instructor, an e-board member, and a family man all at once, and the lessons you only learn running work in the field.
JT also opens up on teaching rigging at the training center since 2021, why investing in yourself is the best return you can get, and his vision for Local 502 going forward: getting younger members engaged, using the new hall to build the habit of showing up, and growing turnout as the local pushes past 2,800 members heading into the upcoming election. A real, honest conversation about service, leadership, and what it means to leave your local a little better than you found it.
🔧 New episodes drop regularly — subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss one. 💬 Drop a comment with your favorite moment or a message for JT’s campaign.