A welding career opened up a world of opportunities for Chris Schuler.
Schuler attended the Central Tech welding program in Drumright, and his career has included becoming a pipe welder, business owner and consultant. He has also worked as an instructor, regional director of training and now campus president at the Tulsa Welding School.
Schuler shares these experiences with his students to show the many paths that a career in the trades can take them.
“I know how the skill trades have helped me,” he says. “There’s so much opportunity out there.”
And students are seeking out jobs in the trades at high levels.
Schuler and Michelle Keylon, superintendent of Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City, say they are seeing significant interest among students, who are enrolling in programs centered around welding, the automotive industry, manufacturing and carpentry.
“We’re always going to have a need for this kind of trained workforce,” Keylon says.
Francis Tuttle offers programs in trades fields including advanced manufacturing, automotives, cosmetology, culinary arts, cybersecurity, programming and software development, practical nursing and pre-nursing programs. The center serves both high schoolers and adults, helping prepare students for continued education at colleges and universities, entering the workforce, career changes or additional training needs, Keylon says.
Programs at Francis Tuttle Technology Center include practical nursing and pre-nursing programs, welding, 3D animation and more. Photos courtesy Francis Tuttle
At the Tulsa Welding School, students can enroll in programs outside of welding, including refrigeration technologies, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and electrical programs. The school also offers an associate’s degree of occupational studies in welding technology.
Schuler says the enrollment includes a mix of students just out of high school or adults looking to increase their training or make a career switch. He believes the interest in trade jobs stems from the fact that there are always jobs available there. For example, there are steel and welding fabrication shops in Tulsa that need trained employees now. In addition, plumbers and electricians are always necessary, he says.
As more people retire from positions in the trades fields, new employees will be needed. Schuler and Keylon say that along with programs to train students, there are also initiatives to help them become job ready, such as with interviewing skills and networking.
Schuler says the Tulsa school works closely with employers about training needs and brings employers onsite to meet students and show them the training in place. He says the school also hires instructors with diverse skill sets and experience to help prepare students for jobs and tasks they’ll see in the workforce.
Students at Francis Tuttle have opportunities for instruction in personal leadership, interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, creating a resume or participating in mock job interviews, Keylon says.
“We absolutely try to make sure that the students are very well-rounded in their knowledge and experience before they leave,” she says. “Our goal is to really have them both work and life ready by the time they complete our programs.”
Billy Vega is a student in the welding program at Francis Tuttle, and says he appreciates the knowledge he’s gaining from instructors – and the opportunities to practice the craft. Vega got interested in welding after working on farms and ranches and getting some experience on smaller projects.
“I wanted to take it to a further level and learn a little more, get more comfortable and get certified in it,” Vega says. His career plans include becoming a pipeline welder and having his own welding truck one day.
“I think [welding is] something different than going to college,” he says. “It’s more hands-on.”
