WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE ATTENDING SUN CITY WELDING?
I graduated high school in 2016 with my welding certification granted by the American Welding Association (AWS). I never pursued my career in welding as a structural welder. So I enrolled at MSU and eventually, during my senior year there, I dropped out of college. I was just working as a laborer at the time, but I thought it'd be interesting to regain that passion for welding. I didn't wanna stay in the same spot, so I went back to my welding roots. That’s when I started looking around at schools.
HOW DID SUN CITY WELDING AFFECT YOUR CAREER PATH?
Sun City was a great institution, I’m happy with my choice. Right now, I’m working part-time as a welder and forklift operator. I haven't been able to find a full-time combo welder position, which is what I’m certified in, but it’s been less than a month. I’ve been making connections within the industry and applying for jobs.
HOW DID MIA SHARE HELP YOU ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY?
One of the reasons I chose Sun City was because I saw that they had a program with Mia Share to help me go to school. It helped me pay for the course through a payment plan and I wanted to use that to my advantage given my financial situation. I knew I had decent credit, but it wasn’t really necessary. Thanks to you guys, I was able to start my certification.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE PURSUING A TRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION?
I would recommend doing your research on your school. There are schools like Sun City Welding that have programs that help with school payments. Make sure the instructors are knowledgeable and talk to students who are currently enrolled. My instructor was very hands-on and provided lots of opportunities to work one-on-one. Through speaking with other students, I realized he offers that to most of them if they need it. That kind of attention, from personal experience, is important.