Four years of high school, then four years at a university, and on to a career. It’s the typical education-to-work path that students have been taught for years.
However, education paths no longer follow such a straight line to job satisfaction, as Nick Braun, current RDO Equipment Co. Access Your Future (AYF) Service Intern experienced.
His Own Path
After growing up in Annandale, MN, Nick attended high school at Wright Technical Center, a school in the nearby town of Buffalo, focusing on technical and alternative education. Nick had always been around engines and spent most of his time fixing smaller machines like ATVs, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles, as well as cars. Wright Technical Center’s automotive program was the perfect place for him to build his skills.
Rather than a tradition high school setting, focused on general studies, Wright Technical Center aims to put students on the path to a specific career, while still in high school. Everything from automotive and construction technology, to cosmetology and graphic communications are offered as areas of focus.
Additionally, the school holds an annual career fair to further help guide students down the right path, whether that’s immediate entrance to the workforce after high school or continued education.
In the fall of his junior year, Nick met North Dakota State College of Science’s (NDSCS) Admission Counselor, Jim Johnson at a career fair. His interest in continuing education was piqued, this time shifting from automotive to heavy diesel equipment technician.
Read the full article online at rdoequipment.com.