WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE ATTENDING WESTERN WELDING ACADEMY?
My hometown was small and the nearest ‘big city’ was 3 hours away. If you weren’t proficient in carpentry, cabinetry, landscaping, and mechanics, you would have to make a long trek to get things fixed. I ran my own landscaping business out of high school. I made good money in the summertime, but come winter it was harder to maintain the income if I didn’t have winter equipment. I was looking for a steady paycheck and thought, since I’m good at woodworking, why not try metal? That’s when I started looking around and found Western Welding Academy.
HOW DID WESTERN WELDING ACADEMY AFFECT YOUR CAREER PATH?
The education was great, they taught me the basics and what to look for or ask, when out in the field. Since graduating, I’ve found the most challenging aspect to be the awkward positions you’re welding in for hours. Sometimes, the piece you’re welding is in a tight spot and you have to make it work. I’m currently working for Extreme Precision, a company specializing in industrial contracting, particularly within coal mines and plants. It’s been great working with them since they have jobs ranging anywhere from Nebraska to Wyoming, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota, you name it. It’s been a luxury to see the United States while working.
HOW DID MIA SHARE HELP YOU ON YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY?
At Western Welding Academy there were other payment options, but since I didn’t have enough credit history to show that I could pay the tuition back, I had to get a cosigner with all the other options. I could have had my dad or another family member cosign, but I wanted my success at this school, and in my career, to come from me. Mia Share allowed me to get started knowing my financial situation, and at this point, I’m a couple of payments away from paying my tuition.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE PURSUING A TRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION?
If someone I knew was considering trade school, I would advise them to absorb as much knowledge as possible from their instructors while in school. Then, once you graduate, take those bits and pieces and find out what works for you. Only when you're actively working in your field will you understand what is professionally presentable and what solutions work best for you. It’s important to take the education but, it’s equally as important to apply yourself to it, that’s how you’ll succeed.