Overcoming odds that were stacked against him, Trey excelled in his Manufacturing Bridge class to graduate with his welding certification.



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*CareerForce partners support participant’s life-changing career choice*

Trey joined the South Central College Connects Manufacturing Bridge class in the summer of 2024 after obtaining his high school equivalency degree. He came to the first class as a young student with potential; tech savvy, cheerful, helpful and full of energy. He immediately excelled in class, a student with an unwavering sense of optimism who flourished in an academic setting.

Like many students in the Manufacturing Bridge class, Trey carried some of life’s heavier burdens. Struggling with his mental health, Trey dropped out of high at 16 years old and was living in his car. His father was in jail, and he had a difficult relationship with his mother. Yet in spite of these obstacles, Trey not only participated but stood out in his class and his ensuing career.

Trey’s Manufacturing Bridge instructor recognized his potential and requested that the welding instructor add a seat to the already full 2024 fall welding class. The instructor accepted, and Trey began his training in welding, supported by a grant from DEED’s Pathways to Prosperity program.

His semester started during an early fall cold spell. When his car began to have significant issues, he would ride a motorcycle with “bad accident” written across the license plate to school. He needed to wear several hoodies to keep from freezing to the seat.

At the same time, Trey was also working a full-time second shift at a local manufacturer, which meant workdays that started late in the afternoon and ended well past midnight. Yet Trey would be back at the welding class the following morning, no matter what. His assignments were done on or ahead of time and he still held on to his unshakeable positive attitude.

After graduation, Trey landed a position with Data Metalcraft at an impressive wage of $26.50. In late 2025, Trey returned to South Central College to visit, arriving in a new, dependable car, and proudly showing the bridge instructor pictures of the house he recently closed on, complete with a garage he is going to turn into a welding shop.

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