I never tried in high school. I never wanted to go and did the minimum to pass the class. I definitely didn’t want to attend college.  

My entry to welding was through a promise to my dad in sophomore year of high school. If I took the welding elective then he would teach me about finish carpentry.

I ended up liking the trade during my time in high school. However, I decided to take two years off after graduating to do some soul-searching while learning about my dad’s craft. The trade was not for me. 

It was something that I liked, but not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I chose to go back to school for my degree on top of relearning welding.

The fun was in watching the puddle of molten metal form as I try not to break my arc. There is an uncanny satisfaction in seeing a good weld after you had to stand in an uncomfortable position for the sake of getting the weld to be perfect.

I was always surrounded by blue collar jobs since my parents both had them and made me want to do the same.

College welding classes compared to high school have differences. The college course is pretty fast paced and more in-depth while high school was just a lot of messing around and not doing any work.

The instructors in this program are great and experienced. They guide us with class learning and hands-on experience. 

The certifications you earn from completing the program gives you an advantage over other applicants in welding.

The only downside is the starting costs for tools coming out of pocket. Discounts with local shops and financial aid can help cut costs from $500 worth of tools to $286.