Hamilton High School junior Dylan Loew is forging a path toward a promising career in welding through the Welding program at the Careerline Tech Center, a hands-on opportunity made possible by Hamilton Community Schools’ partnership with the Ottawa Area ISD.
Loew, who has been interested in welding for several years, was excited to be accepted into the program, which allows students to gain real-world experience in skilled trades while still in high school.
"It's really cool to be able to do this type of trade at a young age," Loew said. "You learn skills that not many people are able to learn, and it leads to a lot of good career paths."
Through the program, Loew has developed expertise in various welding techniques, including arc welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, plasma arc cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, and grinding. With hands-on training, he has gained confidence in his abilities and recognizes the value of learning a high-demand skill.
"I feel very confident. I think it's a great place to learn," Loew said. "They teach you a lot of things, they teach very well, and you're able to work on things for a while and get really good at them."
The Careerline Tech Center provides students like Loew with opportunities to explore careers that go beyond traditional classroom learning. For those considering a skilled trade, he highly recommends the program.
"I'd say it's a great choice to go to Careerline Tech Center," he added. "You can learn anything you want that you can't learn in school, and it leads to a lot of good opportunities."
