Graduate Connections – Meet Nicholas Paradie

Nicholas, 23, from Poughkeepsie, New York, completed the nine-month Welding Specialist with Pipefitting  program at Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville in June 2023. 

Thanks for your time, Nicholas. Tell us what you did before enrolling at Tulsa Welding School? 

I graduated high school in June 2018; a couple of months later I joined the U.S. Army. I was an artilleryman, so I shot the big guns! I was stationed in Alaska but deployed to Iraq and Syria. I served four years and started welding school after I got out.

Thank you for your service. Where did the idea of welding come from?

About eight months before I was due to get out, I knew I didn’t want to re-up. I started to think about things I could do on the outside because artillery skills don’t really carry over to civilian life! I wanted a skill, a career path, and to feel I was good at something. I knew a couple of people who were going into welding after getting out. But I did think much about it until my best friend started talking about it. So, we talked more; his dad was a welder. Eventually I decided welding is the career path I wanted to take. 

What was it that attracted you to the trade? 

Once I started looking into welding, I saw how technical it can get. I discovered that it was an actual skill I could have, rather than just something I’d know how to do, if that makes sense?

That does make sense. How did you land in Jacksonville from Alaska?

My friend lives down here, he’s from Georgia, and there weren’t really any welding schools that I wanted to go to in New York. I felt like I was retiring honestly, so Florida seemed like a good place! We got out within a couple of weeks of each other, so we just drove down together and started welding school.

Did you have any prior knowledge of welding?

I had no exposure to welding. In fact, I had very little exposure to many tools other than a power drill! Even using a grinder was an experience for me. I held it as far from my body as I could when I first used it! 

So, you weren’t really used to working with your hands?

A great side effect of going to welding school is I’ve became a lot handier. I’m much more comfortable working with my hands. I’ve even built a few things, including a table. I’ve also got better at working on cars. It’s just helped me look at technical stuff differently; I’m able to confidently take things apart and fit things up again. I’m no jack of all trades though, I’m still better at welding and fitting than anything else! It’s just given me more confidence; I just don’t feel incompetent if I try to pick something else up.

Did you sign up for the pipefitting course from the start, or add it later? 

Later. Once I understood what I was doing! It was two months or so before the end of the welding program. 

Why did you decide to stay and add the pipefitting course?

I’m a big NASA space nerd and Blue Origin came to school. That was a job I really wanted. I was gunning for it and by the time they would’ve gotten back to me, it would have been right around the end of the welding program. I was either going to get that dream job or continue school. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the Blue Origin job, so I carried on. It’s free for me because of the GI bill, so why not? I’m glad I continued. I was able to learn a lot more about the practical part of welding on the pipefitting course. 

What did you enjoy most about your time at TWS? 

I enjoyed that while the program wasn’t necessarily “at your own pace” because there is a schedule to follow, they somehow made it feel like it was. If I completed a couple of projects really fast, but was struggling on one, I was still on time. It wasn’t like I needed to finish this in two days. It was like you have two weeks to do X amount of things; so, it felt like I had time if I was struggling on something specific.

Did you have many struggles, worries, or frustrations? 

I didn’t feel worried at all. The things that I did struggle with, I’d stay after school and practice. Another absolutely fantastic thing about the school is that you can go any time, in addition to your class time. I was on the GI Bill, so I didn’t need a job, so I’d just stay after my morning class – I did that maybe 50% of the time. I’ve actually gone back a few times since I’ve graduated to just practice things that I don’t do at work. I think that might actually be my favorite part of the school experience.

So, tell us about finding a job after graduation.

My first welding job was a two-month contract while I was in school. I’d heard about these welding stores, and I thought that’s super cool. I’d been in school for maybe two months and went to a welding store, just to check it out. A guy there said, “Hey, do you weld? Do you want a job” I was like, sure…! They were here for a specific project and didn’t have a designated welder. It was a very simple job, but it really helped me get my feet wet. We were erecting steel I-beams for a shopping mall, those big sign structures you see in front of a mall, like a big Target sign. I actually learned a lot on the job site that helped me at school. 

I wanted to pursue an aerospace type job when I finished school. I discovered it’s a lot harder to get into aerospace than you’d think. Companies weren’t contacting me back due to my lack of experience. But the job I did get – with S&P Ventilation Systems here in Jacksonville – we use the same processes they use in aerospace, just on a cruder level. They build the ventilation fans you find on top of malls, restaurants, schools to suck air out or push air in. I think it’s a very good steppingstone to get into aerospace.

That’s great. How did you get that job with S&P? 

It came through the school. I met their HR lady. She was super nice and said, “If you want to come by and check us out, give me a call.” So, I gave her a call immediately afterwards to schedule a visit. I got all dressed up because I thought I was going to have an interview. The interview was two sentences: her introducing herself to me, and me introducing myself to her. Then they had me weld for five minutes. We went back to her office, and she said, “You have the job!” I was like, really?

Are you happy where you’ve started in terms of money? 

I’m happy with my job and the experience it’s given me over the past seven months. The pay is average for a welder. I’m actually currently trying to get another job and they’re being very supportive. They know my goals and they know that they’re not Boeing or NASA! They’re a very good steppingstone company, a lot of TWS students come through here. 

So, tell us more about your career plan?

I have an interview this week for a boiler company in Georgia, Cleaver Brooks. That would be the next step on my career path, to get more welding certifications on different processes and get ASME certified. That’s when I’d start making more money. It would be a great next step. They offer training and certifications there, so I’d want to work with them for a good while. Once I get certified and feel a lot more confident with that type of stuff, I believe I’d have the tools to confidently apply to aerospace companies. That’s my goal to get into aerospace one day – ultimately, I’d love to work for NASA.

What do you enjoy most about your new trade?

I enjoy that I’m good at something, and that I have a skill I can improve on. When I go to work, it doesn’t really feel like I’m doing a nine-to-five, or even a 6am to 4:30pm in my case! I have a skill that I’m trying to get better at. Every time I go into work, I’m basically getting paid to get better at something I love. 

What advice do you have for someone to be successful at Tulsa Welding School? 

Utilize any extra time you can to practice. You can’t complete a project outside of class time, but you can get better at the process. Practicing will make you get better faster. If you don’t have a job that you need to go to right after school, it is smart to take the extra time in the afternoon or evening, or even on the weekend. Or come in early if you have an afternoon or evening class. Just spend as much time under the hood as you can.

If you’re a TWS graduate and would like to share your success and be an inspiration to others, please email [email protected] to be considered for a Graduate Connection interview. Please include details such as your graduation date (month/year), program, and campus name (Tulsa/Jacksonville/Houston/Dallas).