Jaron Stroud
WECA
“Earlier this year I had the pleasure of judging the Electrical Wiring Construction state competition. I had a blast watching these young, motivated, hard-working individuals test their mettle installing and wiring electrical equipment. The weekend came and went and I went back to my normal daily grind. But a few months later, I was invited to a high school career day event where I setup a few electrical demo boards up to show highschoolers what the electrical industry has to offer. About midday, I thought I recognized a few students, and sure enough, they were a few of the state competitors I judged earlier. They immediately rushed over to my booth and reintroduced themselves and we were able to share our triumphs as well as struggles with such a competition. They also took to the demo board and were making quick work with the installations. It was amazing to see such improvement so quickly as well as a real joy to connect with them as a person, and not just a judge. This moment really opened my eyes to the big picture, these kids aren’t just trying to win a medal, they are truly gaining real skills that will carry them to new career opportunities that many high schoolers will takes years to figure out.”
Nathan Hood
BMW of North America
“We hosted our first state event in 2022. One of the highlights for us was seeing the enthusiasm the teachers & students had toward the industry. Being able to give them a glimpse of what life is like at the dealer was awesome as many were completely surprised by the level of support & work the environment provides. After a Q&A with our instructors, many of the students commented that they felt well supported & excited to start their careers in the automotive industry … which is what we're all here for.”
Each month we will highlight a different Alumni/Friend’s story. We ask that you share your journey with us for inclusion in future newsletters by submitting the Google Form HERE.
