How CTE Has Helped Me & Where I Am Today

When joining the trades back in ‘12/’13, I had no idea how much it would become a part of my lifestyle. I first attended Jules E. Mastbaum and chose carpentry as my trade. I quickly fell in love with carpentry because it was rather simple math & it really felt good to see all your measurement comes together in a final product. Another thing was the freedom and activeness compared to the typical classroom. Those moments I spent with my classmates taking in all that knowledge helped me mature rather quickly. Next thing I knew, I was getting deep into carpentry and my hard work was paying off. I started doing side work, buying my own tools, and even scored an internship which I turned into a part time job. I was also awarded “Top In Shop” in ’15 and also given the chance to attend SkillsUSA on behalf of carpentry students in the Philly School District. After all of that, I turned my back on the trades to go to college for Information, Science, & Technology.

During my freshman year of college, I was given a “fixer upper” so that I could have a place of my own to focus on my school work as well as build it to how I see fit. Unfortunately, working two part time jobs while attending school full time turned out to be a hassle. I eventually had to take leave so I could avoid academic probation and losing financial aid. I realized that I needed to make more money while using less time. That same week, I took some time to myself to sit down and come up with a plan. After a few days of research, I finally decided to attend Orleans Technical College for Commercial & Residential Electricity. The course was only 6 months and the curriculum included programming PLCs (programmable logic controllers) which was also a part of my college curriculum. I immediately dove in head first on that opportunity! Fast forward to today, and I’m currently a commercial electrician working for someone and running my own company. I’m currently getting prepared for the Master Electrician course next month as well as staying connected with those friends I met at Orleans so I can employ them in the near future.