The trade I want to pursue in my post-high school career is welding. I am planning on going to Advanced Welding Institute (AWI) in Eagle River, Wisconsin for the six-month structural and pipe welding program. I have enjoyed welding all throughout high school, but I have gained even more of a liking of it in the past couple years when I started doing more fun things such as pipe welding and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. I have taken metal shop for four years and this year was able to take a full welding program through our local Career Technical Education provided by the Copper Country Intermediate School District. One of our assignments in Welding this year was to find something in the shop that needed improvement, make a plan, and follow through with the plan. I was assigned to a group with another first year student and a second year student. It became apparent that the second year student was not going to take charge and help get the project done, so I talked to the other first year and we agreed that our grinding booth was a mess. I designed a rack to hang the grinders while the other first year student wrote the proposal. I asked the second year multiple times to help us with the project but he just brushed me off. We got the whole project done in two days while the second year, who was supposed to be the lead, was goofing off with his friends even after we asked him to help with various tasks including cutting out pieces for the rack or tacking the pieces together. The project went well overall and our booth was much neater. I'm not sure what we could have done differently to get the third member to participate. Sometimes you will encounter this kind of person in a job and you may have to work harder to get the job done.

The trade I want to pursue in my post-high school career is welding. I am planning on going to Advanced Welding Institute (AWI) in Eagle River, Wisconsin for the six-month structural and pipe welding program. I have enjoyed welding all throughout high school, but I have gained even more a liking of it in the past couple years when I started doing more fun things such as pipe welding and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. I have taken metal shop for four years and this year was able to take a full welding program through our local Career Technical Education provided by the Copper Country Intermediate School District. Our metal shop went on a school visit to the welding program at Gogebic Community College. There I was able to take and pass certification in 3G Tig Open Root. This helped to increase my confidence in my welding capabilities. At a family function I met the recruiter for AWI. In talking to her and taking a tour of the school I feel like this would be a perfect fit for me. The program provides a go-at-your-own pace structure which would allow me to gain as many certifications as I can while still providing the ability to spend more time on the types of welding I am most interested in. The work-like days and required welding hours will prepare me for work. The instructors seemed very knowledgeable and motivational. I am very thankful that the State of Michigan has allowed the trade programs to count toward math and science credit for high school graduation. Before the change, I was struggling in my math and science classes and did not know what I wanted to do. Being able to take these classes has opened many doors for me. I had not planned to pursue further education after high school and these trades opportunities have changed my outlook on my future. I have already been able to apply some of the welding skills I've learned, fixing our log splitter at home, the sides for the high school's plow, and a family friend's table saw. I made a flower for my mom and seeing her smile at receiving something I created brought me joy as well. Fixing and creating things is very satisfying. Beginning a career in welding would mean everything to me. I've spent all of high school learning and getting better at this trade. I would be very proud of myself for sticking through and accomplishing my dream. A welding career will allow me travel the country doing pipe welding and provide a solid foundation for my life and future.

The trade I want to pursue in my post-high school career is welding. I am planning on going to Advanced Welding Institute (AWI) in Eagle River, Wisconsin for the six-month structural and pipe welding program. I have enjoyed welding all throughout high school, but I have gained even more of a liking to it in the past couple years when I started doing more fun things such as pipe welding and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. I have taken metal shop for four years and this year was able to take a full welding program through our local Career Technical Education provided by the Copper Country Intermediate School District. Our metal shop went on a school visit to the welding program at Gogebic Community College. There I was able to take and pass certification in 3G Tig Open Root. This helped to increase my confidence in my welding capabilities. At a family function I met the recruiter for AWI. In talking to her and taking a tour of the school I feel like it would be a perfect fit for me. The program provides a go-at-your-own pace structure which would allow me to gain as many certifications as I can while still providing the ability to spend more time on the types of welding I am most interested in. The work-like days and required welding hours will prepare me for work. The instructors seemed very knowledgeable and motivational. I am very thankful that the State of Michigan has allowed the trade programs to count toward math and science credit for high school graduation. Before the change, I was struggling in my math and science classes and did not know what I wanted to do. Being able to take these classes has opened many doors for me. I had not planned to pursue further education after high school and these trades opportunities have changed my outlook on my future. I have already been able to apply some of the welding skills I've learned, fixing our log splitter at home, the sides for the high school's plow, and a family friend's table saw. I made a flower for my mom and seeing her smile at receiving something I created brought me joy as well. Fixing and creating things is very satisfying. Beginning a career in welding would mean everything to me. I've spent all of high school learning and getting better at this trade. I would be very proud of myself for sticking through and accomplishing my dream. A welding career will allow me travel the country doing pipe welding and provide a solid foundation for my life and future.