What area do you work in within the VPFA portfolio?
I work with CPFM Facilities Services in the Custodial Department.

What is your current position and what are your job responsibilities?
I am a custodian, and my main job responsibility is to maintain our building so to provide a clean, safe, and healthy working and learning environment for the students, staff, faculty, and visitors.

Prior to this position, what are other jobs have you had?
I used to work on a hospital ship traveling through different parts of Europe and Africa where I would stay in a location for about six months and then travel back to Europe for additional supplies.  The ship I was on supported medical operations and provided medical treatments for patients with tumors, cataracts, cleft palates, as well as providing nose and throat surgeries.  

On this ship, I was responsible for running the engines for 8 hours a day. I maintained the control boards and alarms; performed repairs on the engine, boilers, and water purifier system; performed and oversaw generator changeovers and startups; tracked and performed buoyancy levels adjustments and fluid transfers; and cooling and bilge system maintenance.  In short, I was responsible for the smooth running and operation of the ships.  My work schedule was 8 hours on 4 hours off.   I performed these responsibilities for 4 years. When my contract was complete, I came to the states but was called back to help provide retrofitting to the ship.  Retrofitting consisted of switching from Denmark electrical components to British electrical components and making sure ship was seaworthy and crew worthy.  

While out at sea, did you see anything exciting?
Yes, I saw a lot while I was at sea.  I saw a lot of whales and the blue lights when the sun was setting.  When you sail at sea and when the sun is setting, you see blue lights.  When the sun gets to a certain point, you see that special blue light.  It is very rare, and few people experience this.* 

When I was crossing the Bay of Biscay, which is known for some of the worst weather in the Atlantic Ocean, the water is almost always chaotic, and you would hear a lot of distress radio calls. There were two different occasions where the water was calm and this was very uncommon. 

While on voyage, I was fortunate to see different beautiful countries like Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, Spain, Germany, and Norway.  While in Germany, there were times where everyone would bring out their antique sailboats. This was cool to see.  There was also a time during my voyage where I was fortunate to be in a place where, when I took a photo, in front of me was Germany while behind me was Africa!

I remember a time when I was in Spain, and they had dry docked a ship so they could cut the ship in half to install some equipment and then they patched it back together.  When we eventually set sail, I and everyone else on board was so nervous because we could hear the ship crack where it was welded and when the ship hit the waves it would bend, and we were afraid that the ship would break in half.   This was a rough voyage. 

What do you like about current job?
I like my current job because we are not micromanaged, and we are trusted to do the job.   I like the people I work with, and I like working at the university.

What advice do you have for others, and what secrets would you share for someone thinking of applying to the UO?
If they are looking for a stable job and a job where you are trusted, the UO positions are very secure jobs with good benefits.  The secret is that if you are offered a position, keep up with your job responsibilities and try hard.

A little bit about myself 

• Where was I born:  I was born in Sierra Leone in West Africa 
• Family:  My dad, Kabineh Conteh was born in Sierra Leone and was the manager of one of the top insurance companies there.  I have two kids: Jenneh Conteh and Tejan Conteh and they are 14 and 12 years old
• Favorite Food:  Cassava leaf. It is the leaf of the tapioca root and is a delicacy in my country.  Fufu and okra is another favorite dish and are delicacies as well.
• Favorite Movies:  Death Wish 3 with Charles Bronson, Cobra Mission, and Rambo (First Blood).
• If you could take three things to a deserted island, what would they be?  A fire striker, some warm clothes, and a flashlight.

What is the secret to life?
The secret to life is to live life one day at a time. Do not worry about what life brings and handle what you are facing at the time.  I do not stress about things.  Whatever life brings is what I handle.  You can make all these plans, but life does not go by the plans you make.  A lot of people lose track and start worrying and stressing about what they lost, but I take life a day at time.  Whatever life brings at that moment is what matters.  

* For educational purpose, What produces the “blue flash” during sunset?
“The blue flash during sunset is a relatively uncommon phenomenon.  It appears just before the last rays of the sun slip beneath an unobstructed horizon.  It is where both the bending, or refraction of light, and mirage effects are greatest. As the sun approaches the horizon, the atmosphere acts as a prism and begins to separate the sun’s image into component colors.  Because blue light is refracted more than red light (due to its shorter wavelength), the top rim of the sun turns blue.  It is the blue bit of sunlight that you might rarely see just above the horizon at the last instant of sunset – a phenomenon called the blue flash.  Only on rare occasions under specific atmospheric conditions does a true flash appear.”

(July 2024)