Q&A: CTEC instructor values career, family

By Isaiah Ruby 

Reporter 

Andy McClain, CTEC building trades instructor, loves his job and others. 

Where were you born? 

Clarksville, Tennessee.                           

Have you lived in any other states? 

Yes. I’ve lived in Nevada, Missouri, and Tennessee. 

What is your highest level of schooling?  What did you major in? 

A bachelors degree in, you’ll never guess, hotel administration! 

What was your career before working at Crowder? 

I built bridges for 20 years. 

What has been your favorite career? 

Now, teaching. 

How long have you taught at Crowder? 

For nine years. 

Do you feel like you’ve made the right decision to teach at Crowder? 

Yes. 

What is the most important lesson that your students at Crowder have taught YOU? 

Don’t ever judge a book by its cover. 

 
Would you recommend your job to another person? 

Absolutely! 

Would you rather build your own home from the ground up, or buy one? 

Build it. 

If you could retire and live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why? 

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, because that is just my favorite place. 

If you could go back in time and give your 10-year-old self any one item, what would it be? 

A cellphone. 

If you had the option to be the POTUS, would you accept? 

No, I can’t make anybody happy.  

What is the most important life lesson that you have learned? 

Listen to your dad. 

If you had $1 billion cash, what would you do with it? 

Pay my bills and help others. I’d soon be broke, but I would help others. 

If you could rob a bank with zero consequences, would you? 

No. 

Given the opportunity, would you travel to Mars? 

Probably not, no. It has no appeal to me. 

What is your favorite tool? 

A hammer. 

Who is the most influential person in your life? 

My father, because he taught me what I know. 

If you could eliminate one natural disaster forever, which one would it be? 

COVID, because it directly affects my generation.