Miguel Castro Jr Interview
Contents
Work Proposal
Hypothetical Work Proposal prior to 1st interview
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13715f462987fc36&mt=application/msword&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Dd1a9470c27%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13715f462987fc36%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26realattid%3Df_h1sp9vz60%26zw&sig=AHIEtbTLyCMr35QTZYTJCg7sBeH8Jtyd5Q
Revised Work Proposal
Projects
- Learn complete fabrication of CEB and other products.
- Organize shop and tools
- CAD work
- Worm Farm
- -Source soil
- -Create worm room with suitable climate conditions
- -make production units
- -Ship breeders from my California worm farm
- -multiply worms and scale up accordingly
- Prototype innovative processing equipment already conceptual development
- -Concept validation
- -Scale up worm farms in both locations
- Develop Hero model for aquaponics and worm farm hybrid (possibly include chickens; preliminary research on existing examples is needed. Also a rocket stove could be used to provide adequate heating during winter months.
- -Develop an action plan to be implemented Spring 2013 which can be documented, open sourced, and replicated at Factor e Farm to provide food security.
- Develop communication and collaboration with the National Congress of American Indians
Logistics and Practical Checklist
- Did you submit a resume?
- Please introduce yourself and what position you are applying for (if not clear on position, it will be covered later)
Entrepreneurship, apprenticeship - practical training - doesn't have a lot of project management skills - he can manage his own projects.
- Are you interested in working on-site at FeF or are you interested in remote collaboration.
Both - wants to come to FeF - wants to reiterate locally in California
- Are you applying as a volunteer or for a paid position?
It would be nice to be paid, more than happy to volunteer
- Are you ok with a 2 week trial period? One month trial period?
Sure - that is preferred
- If it's the paid position, is $2000/month acceptable to you?
- Which track are you interested in (management or admin/apprentice/entrepreneur)
- When are you available?
Within a week - or two weeks -
- How long will you stay with us?
until the GVCS is done - long-term commitment
- How did you find out about us?
- Have you seen my TED Talk?
- What do you care about?
Lead by example, not being a hypocrite, to understand what his parents went through to raise him, be sound in mind body and spirit, finding opportunities to learn and gather information,
- How much land is at the property in California?
56 acres
- What do you see yourself doing with us at Factor e Farm?
fabricator, prototyper, pick up tasks on demand, learn practical skills on his own, learn what's required, he's a perfectionist when it comes to mechanical drafting and design, laborer, was in the infantry in the Marines, teach himself
- How savvy are you with CAD?
took two courses in college, wants to study intensely and can learn
- Tell us more about rapid prototyping?
- How would you do an 1/8 scale tractor?
Acrylic - try to mimic the physics as close as possible.
- For the bulldozer, if we want to build a model, make sure its modularly compatible with the tractor, how would you rapidly prototype that?
Look at files, identify major subsystems, what aspects of the product cannot be tinkered with to not violate the integrity of the design, build the power cube or wheels, use wood to block up the frame, if its full scale then we'd need fabricators,
- Did you make physical models when you were in design school?
2D first with drawings, then do 3D models, art to graphic process helps identify construction or engineering problems, build a 3D model take a picture of it, do an overlay, do an outline sketch prototype with basic subsystems that cannot be changed and helps identify what can be changed, come up with best ideas, then do rapid prototype using any materials available to make a mockup then start interacting with the model
- What programs do you use for technical drafting?
Mechanical drafting and technical drafting in paper and pencil - he's really good at it - sketchbook pro
- How does our work relate to your care?
- For that which you care about doing with us, what is your track record/work samples?
- Tell us about your interest as a social entrepreneur?
To develop a profitable business model that directly addressed social justice issues, environmental issues, etc. Food justice is a strategic initiative for him. Policy reform is a waste of god damned time (Aaron's words). Food production, education, community development
- Example - Welding Tutorial Video
Find someone to help you weld, we will write you a script, make a video documenting your learning process
Select Questions
Tell us about yourself.
- Miguel was born in Wisconsin. He went to United States Marine Corps boot camp in 2002. Graduated with a technical diploma in Electrical Power Distribution from Milwaukee Area Technical College in early June 2004. He was deployed to Iraq in Late June 2004. He returned from Iraq with a Combat Action Ribbon in April 2005. Accepted into the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in the fall of 2005. Received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Industrial Design with honors in May 2010. Moved to an isolated town of 150 to work with the community and a geothermal hot springs project. Attended an Aquaponics /Permaculture course in Nicaragua in December 2010. Moved to Grass Valley and started an innovative and lucrative worm farm in November 2011. He will be the director of an aquaponics system at Finca las Nubes in Nicaragua from June 2012 through January 2013
What are you interested in getting out of this opportunity?
- More opportunities to change the world by creating solutions that lead by example and empower rural communities.
What do you think is the best use of your time?
- Please see Miguel Castro Jr's Revised Work Proposal
- What are your three strongest skills that you bring to this position? Substantiate.
- What are the principles you use as guidance?
- What are your professional accomplishments that you are most proud about?
- If you could investigate anything, what would it be?
- What are your most important resources?
- What are the qualities that are inspiring about you?
- What opportunities are you hoping to get?
- What inspires you?
- What are your outside interests?
- How do you add value?
- What are 5 of your greatest accomplishments in your professional history?
- What are 5 of your greatest failures in your professional history?
- Illustrate your creativity.
- What do you look for when hiring someone?
- Would you rather create strategy, design a solution, solve a problem, or create a process? Why that?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What did you learn in your present job or position? How long would it take you to make a contribution to this company? What do you imagine that contribution would be? Why should we hire you? What can you offer that someone else does not? What interests you most about this position? What interests you least about this position?
