Alumni Success - Brian lucas

> COMING UP NEXT ON ALUMNI SUCCESS, MY CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN LUCAS. (THEME MUSIC) >> I'M DAVID RHEW. WELCOME TO ALUMNI SUCCESS HERE ON CPCC TELEVISION. MY GUEST TODAY IS BRIAN LUCAS. BRIAN, WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM. >> THANK YOU. >> WE ALWAYS START OUR PROGRAM GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOU AND SORT OF YOUR CONNECTION TO CPCC. KIND OF TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY. >> I GRADUATED FROM CENTRAL PIEDMONT'S WELDING PROGRAM IN 2005. POST-GRADUATION, I WORKED VARIOUS JOBS FOR MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN IN CHARLOTTE FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS NOW, MOVED UP FROM GEORGIA, AND AS SOON AS I MOVED UP HERE, I STARTED GOING TO CENTRAL PIEDMONT. I GOT IN WITH WELDING GUYS AND JUST BEEN GOING FROM THERE EVER SINCE. I CURRENTLY WORK FOR A COMPANY CALLED DEBERTY DIEMETRICS IN MORESVILLE. WE'RE DOING A LOT OF STUFF WITH CENTRAL PIEDMONT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER AN ORBITAL WELDING PROGRAM FOR THEM. GETTING READY TO DELIVER SOME EQUIPMENT, AND IT'S KIND OF A PASSION PROJECT OF MINE, HELPING WRITE SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING STUFF FOR IT. WE'VE DONE THE GEEK FEST FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND REALLY ENCOURAGING THE GUYS TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM. IT'S WHILE I WAS WITH THE SCHOOL, I WAS ON STUDENT GOVERNMENT AND GOT VERY, VERY INVOLVED. IT'S LIKE A SECOND FAMILY TO ME. >> WELL, GOOD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN HEAR FROM STUDENTS AND ALUMS IS THAT EXPERIENCE CAME AT A REALLY GOOD TIME. SO SORT OF WHY CPCC AND SORT OF WHY WELDING FOR YOU. >> WHY WELDING IS-- I STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I WAS A SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL. I KIND OF ACCIDENTALLY GOT INTO A WELDING CORE BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT THEY HAD OPENED, AND IT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT REALLY CHALLENGED ME. YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. I DID IT ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN I MOVED UP HERE, MY WIFE AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW ARE ALSO ALUMNI FROM THE SCHOOL AND STARTED LOOKING THROUGH THE CATALOG AND FOUND THE WELDING PROGRAM AND WENT AND MET WITH STEVE GORE AND AMBER CLASSEN AND THOSE GUYS, AND JUST GREAT BUNCH OF GUYS AND REALLY GOT INTO IT. BENEFITTED FROM THE JUMP START PROGRAM FOR MY FIRST YEAR THERE. THAT HELPED ME REALLY GET GOING, AND IT'S JUST-- IT'S WONDERFUL WHAT THEY DO DOWN THERE. >> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO DOWN THERE, THE WELDING PROGRAM IS LOCATED IN OUR HARPER CAMPUS DOWN OFF OF HEBRON. WHEN YOU STARTED WITH IT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND FELL INTO IT AT LEAST INITIALLY, WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WELDING OR THE CRAFT THAT REALLY EXCITES YOU? IS IT THE THE FINISHED PRODUCT? IS IT THE PROCESS? >> IT'S KIND OF BOTH. IT'S A REAL HOMOGENOUS KIND OF THING. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S MENTALLY DIFFICULT. I MEAN, YOU'RE RUNNING HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF ARC VOLTS THROUGH A PIECE OF METAL AND REAL LITERALLY YOU'RE MAKING LAVA ALMOST AND YOU'RE WATCHING THIS ALL HAPPEN IN REAL TIME. IT'S LIKE AN ALKAMY IT'S AMAZING WATCH. YOU GET FINISHED AND YOU WATCHED WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS THE THINGS THAT BUILDS BUILDINGS AND PLANES AND CARS. YOU THEN START TO THINK FURTHER INTO IT AND SEE WHAT ALL THE ASPECTS WELDING HAS ON YOUR DAILY LIFE. EVERYTHING, YOUR CLOTHING IS BUILT BY MACHINES THAT HAD TO HAVE WELDING. YOUR GLASSES, EVERY SINGLE THING, AND IT'S-- IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST MAGICAL. IT'S SO INTERESTING AND THEN YOU START BEING ABLE TO DO THINGS. YOU GET INTO YOUR FABRICATION AND BUILDING ANYTHING. WE BUILT A LOT OF SHEDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCHOOL GROUNDS SO THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S A TON OF STUFF ON THAT CAMPUS THAT I BUILT THAT WILL BE THERE UNTIL THE BUILDING IS TORN DOWN YOU. >> REALLY GET A SENSE OF NOT ONLY DOING THE WORK BUT THE COMPLETION OF IT AND BEING ABLE TO SEE IT AS A SUSTAINABLE-- >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE. AS YOU MOVE THROUGH CPCC, YOU MENTIONED STEVE GORE AND AMBER CLAUSENS, TWO LONG-TIME FACULTY STUDENT ADVOCATES. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THOSE MEN THAT YOU THINK ATTRACT STUDENTS LIKE YOU INTO THE PROGRAM? WHAT DO THEY BRING TO THE WELDING PROGRAM AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO STUDENTS LIKE YOURSELF? >> WELL, IT'S-- IT RANGES. AS FAR AS THEM BEING EDUCATORS, I'VE NEVER MET PEOPLE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO. THAT'S PART OF WHAT I IDENTIFY WITH THEM. I HAVE ALWAYS-- I LOVE EDUCATION. I LOVE BEING IN EDUCATION. I HAVE PART OF MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE IS A MINOR IN ED. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT IS FASCINATING AND WONDERFUL TO ME, AND THOSE GUYS ALL-- REALLY ALL THE MEN IN THE WELDING DEPARTMENT, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE GUYS, THEY CARE. THEY GET ONE ON ONE WITH AND YOU THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THEY'RE SO-- THEY'RE LIKE FAMILY AT THIS POINT. AND EVEN THE GUYS THAT COME OUT OF THE WELDING PROGRAM. BECAUSE OF THE WAY STEVE AND AMBER AND THE FACULTY DOWN THERE TEACH US AND TREAT US, I'LL MEET GUYS WHO HAVE GRADUATED A FEW YEARS AFTER I HAVE AND WE HAVE A PERSONAL BOND ALREADY BECAUSE OF THOSE GENTLEMEN, AND HOW THEY'VE TAUGHT US, AND THEY DON'T JUST EDUCATE US IN THE PROCESS AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND WELDING. THEY TEACH US HOW TO BE AND HOW TO BE GOOD CITIZENS AND GOOD WORKERS AND IN THE SOCIETY. >>THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE IN A WELDING PROGRAM, THE DIVERSITY OF YOUR CLASSMATES. YOU MENTIONED SOME THAT MAY BE COME SOONER, COME LATER. HOW DOES THAT REALLY HELP IN TERMS OF THEIR WORK EXPERIENCE AND SORT OF THE LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT THE CLASS KIND OF TAKES ON BEYOND JUST THE WELDING AND THE ACADEMIC PART OF IT? >> IT'S AN INTERESTING SOCIAL EXPERIENCE TO SAY THE LEAST. WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE, AND I KNOW CP IS REAL BIG INTO HELPING PEOPLE RETRAIN AND GET OUT OF INDUSTRIES AND INTO NEW INDUSTRIES, AND IN MY TIME THERE, WE HAD GUYS THAT WERE FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL ALL THE WAY UP TO WE HAD GUYS THAT WERE IN THEIR 70 S COMING IN AND DOING NEW STUFF AND ALL THE WAY IN BETWEEN, SO YOU WOULD BE IN A CLASS WITH SOMEBODY THAT IS TWO OR THREE TIMES YOUR AGE, AND THEY'D HAVE CERTAIN EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAD IN A WORKING ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY COULD STEPHEN YOU ABOUT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET UNTIL YOU'RE THEIR AGE. YOU GET KIND OF A HEAD START, AND THEN YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY WITH SOME OF THESE YOUNGER GUYS TO KIND OF MENTOR AND GET THEM INTO-- INTO THE ART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEN HELP THEM TO REPRESENT YOUR INDUSTRY. WE HAVE SUCH AN INTERESTING, CLOSE-KNIT INDUSTRY IN WHAT WE DO AND IT'S AN ART THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY ON THE DECLINE RIGHT NOW. WE NEED PEOPLE TO GET INTO THESE INDUSTRIAL ARTS AND WELDING, AND REALLY ALL OF THE ASPECTS THERE, AND TO GET HOLD OF SOME OF THESE YOUNGER GUYS AND REALLY INSTILL THAT PASSION IN THEM ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO DO WHAT WE DO IS A GREAT FEELING ALSO. >> WHAT KIND OF STUDENTS WOULD DO WELL IN A WELDING PROGRAM? IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WERE GOING TO BE OUT AND TALKING TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OR PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT CAREER GOALS, A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THESE ARE KINDS OF THE JOBS THAT ARE SORT OF GOLD COLLAR THAT YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT, BUT YOU CAN DO REALLY WELL FAMILY. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEBODY WHO MAY BE THINKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR FIELD? WHAT KIND OF STUDENT WOULD DO WELL IN A FIELD LIKE THIS? >> REALLY ANYBODY. THE RANGE IS SO WIDE IN WHAT WE DO. WHAT WE TEACH AT CENTRAL PIEDMONT IS FOCUSED ON THE CONSTRUCTION ARTS OF WELDING. MY JOB NOW, I WORK IN AUTOMATED WELDING ATLABERTI DIEMETRICS UP IN MORESVILLE, AND WE LITERALLY MAKE EVERYTHING FROM HART CATHETER WIRES UP TO INDUSTRIAL POWER PIPING IN NUCLEAR PLANTS. WE DO REALLY HIGH-LEVEL, SCIENTIFIC WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND, AND THEN AGAIN, YOU CAN TURN AROUND AND GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BUILDING DOWNTOWN AND CONSTRUCTION. SO IT'S AN INDUSTRY THAT ANYONE CAN FIT INTO. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ABSOLUTELY ANYONE TO GO INTO IT. IF YOU GOT THE KNACK FOR IT AND THE HAND-EYE COORDINATION TO GET INTO THE ART OF WELDING, IT'S GOLDEN. IT'S THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO. >> AND SORT OF WHAT IS THE KNACK FOR IT? >> YOU GOT TO HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PHYSICAL ABILITIES. LIKE I SAID, THE HAND-EYE COORDINATION IS A BIG THING. YOU HAVE TO HAVE-- YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG MIND FOR IT. IT'S LIKE WITH ANY-- UNFORTUNATELY WITH ANY INDUSTRIAL JOB, A LOT OF TIME YOU GET LOOKED AT LIKE YOU'RE JUST SWINGING A HAMMER ALL DAY LONG, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MATH AND SCIENCE AND ART INVOLVED IN WHAT WE DO THAT YOU GOT TO BE-- YOU GOT TO BE UP THERE ON THE INTELLIGENCE SCALE AND BE WILLING TO COMMIT TO A LOT OF HARD LEARNING WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND JUST PASSIONATE DRIVE, AND THAT'S THE OTHER PART WITH THAT MENTAL BACKGROUND AND JIM PAYNE, ONE OF OUR-- HE'S RETIRED NOW, BUT HE SAID YOU GOT TO BE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY TO DO WHAT WE DO. IT'S HOT AND IT'S SOMETIMES DIRTY AND DANGEROUS, BUT IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS I CAN THINK OF DOING. >> YEAH. THEY SAY THAT A LOT ABOUT TELEVISION. WE GOT TO BE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY. DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER ASPECTS YOU TALKED ABOUT. AUTOMATED WELDING, THAT'S AN INTERESTING TERM FOR ME. >> WELL, AND IT'S TECHNICALLY WE'RE SEMIAUTOMATIC. WHAT WE DO IS WE MECHANIZE WHAT WE DO AS FAR AS WELDING. WE HAVE A RANGE OF PRODUCTS FROM AN ENCLOSED TUBE WELDING HEAD WHERE YOU TAKE TWO PIECES OF TUBE AND YOU CLAMP THEM IN A DEVICE, AND IT WELDS IT WITHOUT FILLER MATERIAL, AND THIS IS DONE PHARMACEUTICALS, INDUSTRY, FOOD INDUSTRY, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT STUFF. LIKE I SAID, ALL THE WAY UP TO DOING LARGE PIPES. WE'VE WELDED BATTLESHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SUBMARINES WITH THESE WELD HEADS, AND YOU'LL PUT A TRACK, A SOLID TRACK ON A PIECE OF PAIN AND THEN PUT THIS HEAD ON THERE, AND IT WILL HAVE VARIOUS TYPES OF TORCHES ON THE FRONT ENDS OF THEM, AND THEN THEY'LL DRIVE ALONG THE TRACK AND DEPOSIT THE WELD MATERIAL AND CREATE YOUR ARC AND EVERYTHING, BUT AS A WELDER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT EDUCATION AND THAT KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROCESS. IT'S NOT AUTOMATIC LIKE IN ROBOTS WHERE YOU KIND OF YOU HIT A BUTTON, AND IT RUNS AROUND AND DOES IT FOR YOU. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN INNATE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SET IT UP AND HOW TO WORK WHATEVER THE WELD JOINT AND EVERYTHING IS. AND WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE WELDER'S KNOWLEDGE. THE MACHINES DON'T GET TIRED. THEY DON'T HAVE A BAD DAY. THEY DON'T HAVE A BAD ATTITUDE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF DOING AT A FASTER RATE AND FOR MORE LONG TERM. WE HAVE, OF COURSE, ALWAYS WITH ANY KIND OF AUTOMATION, YOU KIND OF GET RESISTANCE FROM PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY. ESPECIALLY THE MANUAL WELDERS, BUT WHAT WE EDUCATE THEM ON THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TAKING AWAY FROM YOU. IT'S MAKING YOU THAT MUCH MORE VALUABLE IN THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE THIS IS A SECTORS THAT JUST GROWING WILDLY. >> IT JUST ADDS TO THE TOTAL PORTFOLIO FOR THE FIELD. >> EXACTLY. AND THIS IS UPPER ECHELON WHAT WE'RE DOING. THIS IS A BIG, A BIG THING. THERE IS NOT A NUCLEAR FACILITY THAT'S BEEN BUILT PROBABLY SINCE THE '70 S THAT DOESN'T USE OUR LABERTI EQUIPMENT. WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE JUST HAD A BIG MEETING AT WORK AND WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE WORK WE HAVE DONE OVERSEAS, CHINA, ALL THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES ARE USING EQUIPMENT LIKE OURS. >> AND YOU THINK YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CPCC SORT OF HELPED YOU LAND THE JOB OR THE EXPERIENCE AND THE REPUTATION AND ALL THAT? >> 100%, AND WE WERE DOWN AT GEEK FEST THIS YEAR. WE WERE DOWN THERE LAST YEAR. WE BROUGHT SOME EQUIPMENT AND DID SOME LIVE DEMOS FOR THE GUYS. I HAVE REPEATED THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR, THE REASON I HAVE THE JOB THAT I'M IN, WHICH IS THE GREATEST JOB I EVER HAD, IS BECAUSE I WENT TO CENTRAL PIEDMONT, AND THAT IS LITERALLY THE ONLY REASON I WAS THERE. I WAS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT WAS NOT MAYBE THE BEST FOR ME. IT WASN'T UTILIZING ME TO MY BEST ABILITY, AND I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM LABERTI AND THEY OFFERED ME AN INTERVIEW BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT WORKS THERE, TYLER RATCHFOD, WHO'S DONE A LOT OF AMAZING WORK FOR US. HE'S A CP ALUMNI AS WELL FROM THE WELDING PROGRAM, AND THEY WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH HIM THAT THEY WENT BACK TO CENTRAL PIEDMONT AND SAID WHO ELSE HAVE YOU GOT FOR US, AND THEY GOT A HOLD OF ME AND I'VE BEEN UP THERE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW, ABOUT A YEAR AND FOUR MONTHS COMING UP, AND AFTER I HAD BEEN THERE SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS, WE BROUGHT ANOTHER GENTLEMAN ON BOARD, DAVE HANSON, AND YOU KNOW, A BULK OF OUR WELDING GUYS THAT ARE UP ARE CP ALUMNI BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT HIGH LEVEL OF WORK AND ETHIC THAT THE WELDING PROGRAM PUTS OUT HERE. >> AND I WOULD THINK YOU CAN GET THAT ACADEMIC WORK AND THEN WHATEVER COMPANY YOU GO WITH, YOU KNOW, THEY KIND OF HELP YOU WITH THEIR OWN COMPANY CULTURE. >> EXACTLY. >> RELATIVE TO THIS IS SORT OF THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, AS A COMPANY. BEYOND THE ACTUAL TASK AT HAND. >> THAT'S WHAT-- THAT'S ONE OF THOSE DEFINING FACTORS OF THE WELDING PROGRAM HERE IS THAT THEY DON'T TEACH YOU JUST HOW TO WELD AND CUT STUFF AND BUILD. THEY TEACH YOU HOW TO BE A RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEE. HOW TO GO IN AND REALLY IMPRESS WHOEVER IT IS YOU'RE WORKING FOR. THAT'S WHY THEY'VE GONE BACK AND BACK AND BACK TO CENTRAL PIEDMONT TO LOOK FOR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE GUYS THAT THEY GET ARE GOING TO QUALITY, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE UPSTANDING, AND IT'S A LOT OF WHAT STEVE AND ANDREW AND JIM AND ALL THE REST OF THE GUYS DOWN THERE, THEY TEACH YOU HOW TO SHOW UP ON TIME AND HOW TO BE RESPECTFUL AND HOW TO TAKE INSTRUCTION, AND HOW TO LISTEN AND HOW TO HAVE INITIATIVE IN A JOB AND SHOW WHERE WE WORK, IT'S-- WE'RE VERY SELF-MOTIVATED. WE WORK ON OUR OWN A LOT. AND IT'S A NECESSITY THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO WORK WITHOUT SOMEBODY STANDING RIGHT OVER TOP OF YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY TEACH US THERE. IS A LOT OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE WORKPLACE. >> YOU JOINED OUR CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN LUCAS ON ALUMNI SUCCESS HERE ON CPCC TELEVISION. YOU REALLY BELIEVE ANYBODY CAN BE-- BEGIN AND BE A WELDER? >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S SCARY IN THE BEGINNING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. >> YOU KNOW THIS WILL NOT COME AS A SHOCK TO ANYBODY WHO KNOWS ME AND KNOWS ME WELL. I MEAN, I'M JUST NOT A HANDS-ON, TECHNICAL WELDING, CONSTRUCTION. >> NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE APTITUDE FOR THAT. >> THAT, TOO. >> THAT'S WHERE THE WELDING PROGRAMS COMES IN THERE. WE CAN TAKE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITTLE OF THAT AND HELP THEM BUILD THAT UP. YOU MAY NOT BE ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEVEL WELDER ULTIMATELY, BUT EVEN IN ANY WELDING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING A GOLD COLLAR JOB, WHICH I LIKE THAT. IT'S AN INDUSTRY WHERE EVEN THE LOWER-LEVEL JOBS THAT YOU CAN GET DOING THIS STILL ARE AS FAR AS ON THE PAY SCALE ARE PRETTY UP THERE. SO EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE GOES A VERY LONG WAY. >> THROUGH YOUR CPCC EXPERIENCE, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, YOU MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE THAT YOU PLACE ON EDUCATION. HAS THAT BEEN SORT OF REAFFIRMED EVEN FURTHER THROUGH CP? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE HERE, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, I DID WELDING, OF COURSE, THAT WAS MY MAIN FOCUS. BUT MY FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES I DID. I DID SIGN LANGUAGE. WE DID ALL KINDS OF MATHS AND SCIENCES AND EVERYTHING, AND ALMOST EVERY DAY SOMETHING COMES UP WHERE I REALIZE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I GAIN FROM BEING HERE ENHANCES MY LIFE OVERALL AND IT FRANKLY MADE ME A BETTER PERSON FOR IT FOR BEING HERE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY, ANYBODY THAT WE KNOW THAT'S GOING INTO SCHOOL RIGHT NOW BEFORE THEY'LL GO ANYWHERE ELSE, I SAY TAKE A SEMESTER AT CENTRAL PIEDMONT. GET INTO IT. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET YOUR FEET WET AND TO UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENT HERE. IT'S SO FAMILIAL. I SEE PEOPLE YEARS AND YEARS AFTERWARDS THAT I'VE KNOWN FROM ALL OVER SCHOOL, FROM BOTH THE EDUCATION COURSES AND WELDING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT'S LIKE SEEING A RELATIVE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. EVERYBODY JUST GETS ALONG. IT'S GREAT. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW MUCH SCHOOL HAS DONE FOR ME. EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MOST OBVIOUS HELPING ME GET A JOB AND HELPING MY FAMILY THAT WAY, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, MENTALLY AND SOCIALLY BEING ABLE TO BE HERE AND HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO BE AROUND AND BE WITH US HAS BEEN AN ENRICHMENT FOR ME. >> TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF STUDENT LIFE. PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR THINKING COMMUNITY COLLEGE TWO YEARS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMING AND GOING, BUSY INDIVIDUALS AND YOU ARE ABLE TO IMMERSE YOURSELF WITH STUDENT ACTIVITIES IN YOUR STUDENT LIFE. >> I STARTED OUT WITH MY STUDENT LIFE EXPERIENCE. THE WELDING PROGRAM WE VERY A CHAPTER CALLED THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY. I SERVED AND I WAS THE CHAPTER PRESIDENT FOR A YEAR AND SERVED ON SEVERAL OTHER ADVISORY CAPACITIES WITH THAT. THEN I WAS A HARPER CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVE, AND I DID WIND UP RUNNING FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL, AND IT JUST-- IT WILL ENRICH YOUR SOCIAL LIFE HERE, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT HELPS SO MUCH. AS FAR AS GOING OUT AND BEING AN EMBASSADOR TO THE COMMUNITY, TALKING TO PEOPLE, UNDERSTANDING THE WAY THINGS WORK, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT CAN ONLY SERVE TO MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE BETTER IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET INVOLVED WITH ANYTHING FROM THE CLUBS. WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES UP TO THE HIGHER LEVEL STUDENT EDUCATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS WE HAD WITHIN THE WELDING PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THE NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION PROGRAM AND THEY STARTED THAT ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. WHEN THAT WAS BEGINNING, I WAS ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT AND HELP WRITE HE PAPERS AND DO PRESENTATIONS FOR THAT. SO IN A SENSE, I HAVE A SENSE OF ACOMPLISHMENT THERE BECAUSE IT GOT ADOPTED AND IT'S PRODUCING STUDENTS NOW AND PEOPLE ARE GRADUATING FROM THAT PROGRAM THAT I HELPED THEM TO ESTABLISH TO GET INTO THAT. IT GIVES A SENSE OF PRIDE THAT YOU CAN-- YOU CAN REALLY ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE OVERALL IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET INTO THESE THINGS. >> YEAH, FOR VIEWERS WHO MAY NOT KNOW, TELL THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BASE LEVEL, ABOUT NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION, AND WHY THAT'S-- >> NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION, IT'S KIND OF SELF-- IT'S EXAMINATION OF WELDED MATERIALS WITHOUT DESTROYING THEM. WHILE WE HAVE DESTRUCTIVE METHODS, BIN TESTS AND, ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND EXPLOSIVE TESTING AND EVERYTHING. >> SURE. >> NDE USES THINGS LIKE MAG PARTICLE TESTINGS, SPRAY PENETRANT, ULTRA SONIC TESTING WHERE YOU'RE TAKING AN ULTRA SONIC DIODE JUST LIKE YOU DO IN A SONOGRAM AND YOU RUN IT OVER THE MATERIALS AND ABLE TO READ DEEP INTO THE METALS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY DEFECTS OR FLAWS IN YOUR WELD. WHAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IS BUILD A STRUCTURE LIKE A SKY SCRAPER AND GO IN AND INSPECT IT AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS STRUCTUALLY SOUND WITHOUT HAVING TO TEAR IT APART AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. IT INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY, MULTITIMES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. AND IT GIVES US A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT, TOO, WITH THE PROGRAM TO SEE OUR STUDENTS GOING OUT THERE AND BEING ABLE TO DO THIS AND MAKING SURE THE WORLD IS JUST A LITTLE BIT SAFER ONCE WE BUILD STUFF. >> YOU'RE A STUDENT. YOU'RE WORKING, AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE ALL THAT AND FAMILY? ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEAR ABOUT IS PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT WHOLE THING OUT. I'D LIKE TO COME TO SCHOOL. I WANT TO COME BACK FOR RETRAINING, BUT HOW DO I SORT OF TIME MANAGE MY LIFE TO MAKE THAT ALL FIT? >> AND THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT CENTRAL PIEDMONT IS THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. THE OFFERING OF CLASSES AND THE SCHEDULES AND THINGS, IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK, JUST GO BACK AND THIS IS THE PLACE TO DO IT. BECAUSE I THINK OF ALL THINGS CENTRAL PIEDMONT UNDERSTANDS JUST THAT. THE PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK TO START ANEW, AND IT'S NOT EASY FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT TO WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK JUST TO DROP EVERYTHING AND GO BACK TO SCHOOL FULL TIME. SO COURSES ARE OFFERED IN A WAY WHETHER IT'S ON-LINE OR IN PERSON OR TELECOMMUNICATION, ANYTHING, THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS THAT IF YOU SAT DOWN WITH A COUNSELOR HERE AND TOLD THEM WHAT YOUR SITUATION WAS, THEY WOULD HELP YOU GET IT DONE 100% WITHOUT IT BEING TOO DIFFICULT ON YOU. THE THING TO DO IS JUST SIMPLY COMMIT TO IT AND JUST DO IT. IF YOU WANT IT, THEY'LL HELP YOU GET IT. >> IS THAT PART FOR YOU? >> THAT WAS PART FOR ME. >> TRYING TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT. >> WHILE I WAS GOING THROUGH THE WELDING PROGRAM, I WAS HELPING TO TAKE CARE OF MY WIFE'S BRANDFATHER AS IN-HOME HEALTHCARE. >> CAREGIVER. >> CAREGIVER. IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I EVER HAD TO DO IN MY LIFE, AND I COULD GO TO SCHOOL AND I GO TO CENTRAL PIEDMONT AND I COULD GO TO THE WELDING PROGRAM, AND I HAD THOSE GUYS THERE THAT I KNEW CARED NOT JUST ABOUT ME SHOWING UP FOR CLASS AND HAVING GOOD ATTENDANCE, BUT THEY CARED THAT I WAS THERE AND THEY CARED ABOUT ME, AND STEVE AND AMBER WOULD PULL ME TO THE SIDE AND CHECK ON ME AND MAKE SURE I WAS REALLY OKAY IF I WAS HAVING A BAD DAY, AND IT GAVE ME KIND OF A REFUGE, A PLACE TO GO TO BE KIND OF OUT OF EVERYTHING. IT WAS ALMOST MORE RELAXING TO GO TO SCHOOL SOMETIMES. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY-- AND THAT HARKENS BACK TO WHAT I SAID BEFORE. THEY CARE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT GOING HERE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK, THEY HELP AND THEY CARE, AND THEY KNOW THAT'S THE SITUATION FOR YOU AND THEY WILL HELP YOU MAKE IT THROUGH EVEN IF IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. >> I ASK EVERYBODY AND YOU WATCHED ENOUGH OF THE SHOW. YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION MAY OR MAY NOT BE. I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE HOW THEY DEFINE SUCCESS. SO FOR YOU, HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS? >> JUST AN OVERALL SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT IN MY LIFE. KNOWING THAT I CAN WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND GO TO A JOB WHERE I AM PAID WELL AND HAPPY. I GET UP IN THE MORNING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO DO WHAT I DO AND THAT HELPS ME TO KNOW THAT I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICES. I KNOW THAT I'M SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE SIMPLY I'M JUST HAPPY. I HAVE NO WORRIES. >> THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S GOOD. BRIAN, THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. >> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. >> WITH CPCC TELEVISION AND OUR VIEWERS. FOR THE CREW HERE AT CPCC TELEVISION, I'M DAVID RHEW. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOOD NIGHT.