What really branches you to be, I guess,
the best of the best and a success story past skills?
What takes it in that little ball of skill-set to really emphasize it?
Well I think it’s the lifestyle that you choose to live.
It’s the person that is not going to make an excuse.
It’s someone that’s going to show up
and put his whole heart effort into it.
The successes of being able to show up
and do their job and learn a craft and learn a skill.
It’s not necessarily being the best student grade-wise,
it’s about coming in and putting 110% effort all the time;
showing up, doing a good job, being able to be honest,
be efficient, and be able to do what you say you’re going to do.
Well to do well in these classes, I highly recommend showing up on time,
getting in as much practical practice as you can.
If you get the opportunity to work, work!
Because you’re only going to hurt yourself
if you don’t put in the time.
I would ask questions. I’ve had a lot of help
from the other students in class, as well as people
who have been through the program already.
One very, very big thing that Ryan and I expect
is that you have to be an independent,
a free thinker and motivated. Self-motivated.
And if you’re not, we can help you with that
and I think everybody has that,
and it’s essential that you have those skills
beyond just the welding and the academics.
But really you’ve got to be self-motivated and be self-inspiring.
Well you know Jesse, that’s what most people call soft skills.
And a lot of people think those are somebody
that you either have or you don’t have.
Well everybody has it, we just try to expose you
on how you become better with those soft skills.
Communication is huge, especially when you’re working with people.
You not only have to deal with everybody
but you’re going to deal with people that you don’t like,
but you still have to work with them to get the job done.
So it’s putting your differences aside to get the job done.
Meet a mentor. A mentor like Ryan Eubank, who was mine.
Ryan really, really emphasized the work ethic, the skills.
You’re going to learn how to have a work ethic.
You’re going to learn that it’s going to be dirty,
that it’s going to be a little hard, but you know what?
It’s going to pay out extremely well for you in the next few years.
It gives you kind of a sense of purpose.
You know what’s expected of you.
You come in and you do the work.
I find a great level of pride and satisfaction in the work
and the friends that I’ve had through the program have had the same.
They’re happier, they’re making the money they want to make.
They know what’s expected of them and they’re doing what they enjoy doing.
What we’re looking for is those top ten percenters.
Those individuals that want to come to school everyday.
They’re eager to learn. They’re eager to learn a skilled trade,
getting into the skilled trade to be able to produce
an income that can support their family for the rest of their lives.
If they come in and they show up and they do a great job, everyday,
they can become successful in this particular field.
Everything is on a personal level to where
if you want to get a job, get a better job
you have to develop yourself.
You can’t expect someone to push you into a better position.
All I had was my sense of pride and my work ethic
that would keep me there.
But if you go in and you work
and you put your heart into it, then I mean
you’re going to go anywhere. You can do anything.
Well the welding field is not going away.
It’s only getting stronger.
The demand for the jobs and skilled workers
are better now than they’ve ever been.
AWS, the American Welding Society,
is projecting that there’s going to be over a shortage of
250,000 welding jobs available in North America alone.
So if you’re looking at getting into a career path, welding is it.
It’s not going away, it’s only getting better and it’s needing you now.