Graduate Connections – Meet Byron Olliver

Byron, 42, from Houston, Texas, completed the Professional Welder program at Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (TWSTC) in Houston in September 2024. 

Thanks for your time, Byron. You came to Tulsa Welding School later in life, what did you do before?  

I went to barber school, did the whole nine yards, I cut hair for about eight years until I lost the love for it and then COVID happened, and everything changed. In the couple of years before coming to TWSTC, I delivered windows and heavy doors. I hurt myself doing that; I’m still on Workman’s Comp now.

Was it the injury, or the delivery job that made you decide to make a career change?

I was told there was no moving up from my position. I wanted to try to move up and be a sales rep. But I had someone in management tell me straight up that they just needed us delivering and there’s no way I could move up. I told my wife that I need to find something else. She saw me coming home frustrated every day, so she finally gave me the okay, and I put in my two weeks’ notice. 

So, where did the idea of welding school come from?

We brainstormed about what I could do next. We looked on Indeed.com for jobs in the Houston ship channel complex. Literally every job she called out was for a welder, and they were making good money. I heard nothing under $30 an hour for experienced welders. My wife makes great money, so being the man, I want to make more money than her. I was like, “Okay, $30/hour is a steppingstone, right there.”

A pretty good steppingstone! So, after your two weeks’ notice, what next?

So, it was during that week that I got hurt on the job. They told me they didn’t have any light duty for me, and they didn’t need me anymore, so I was like, okay, this is it. My wife told me there was a Tulsa Welding School in Houston. I’d just planned on going in to get some information but when I went in, I got talking with an Admissions Rep and he made me very comfortable. When he showed me around the school, I knew this was where I needed to be. I could see myself coming here for seven months and really learning. Next thing I know, I’m signed up and starting welding school the following week!  

Did you have any welding experience at all, maybe from high school back in the day? 

No, I’d never even thought about welding, never. Not until that talk with my wife, that’s what made me look into it. I wouldn’t even call myself a handyman, or someone who enjoyed doing projects with their hands. I mean, I was a barber for eight years and that requires good hand-eye coordination, and I’ve played basketball half my life, but, no I’d never thought of welding at all, especially as a career option.

What did you enjoy most about your time at TWSTC? 

The instructors. They weren’t like your high school teachers, they really cared. They were hands-on, and if I didn’t get something they’d tell me to not get frustrated. They let me know the process and procedure I needed to go through to stay late after class, or to come in on the weekend and get more practice. If I couldn’t get something, I stayed on. Sometimes I wouldn’t get home until 5:00pm and I was in the morning class. I’d be there 7:00am to 5:00pm. For the first four months, I was at school every day, Sunday to Sunday. If I didn’t get something, the instructors would break it down even more. They’d even let me come in when they were teaching other classes if they had a vacant booth and give me ways to get better. 

Sounds like you found the program hard.

Yes, it was, especially the first four months. My wife knew I was frustrated because I’d tell her, “I’m going to stay late again tomorrow” or when I’d go in on Saturday and Sunday. There were times when I  was like, “Oh my God, I can’t do this.” That’s why I stayed late so much those first four months; I was so frustrated.  

Did you ever consider quitting? 

Quitting is not in my nature, but at the same time I was like, “I can’t get this.” I never thought about not going to school; I wanted my GPA to be up there, and I did finish with a 94. I was motivated to be there, and I didn’t want to rephase. I’d see my classmates doing what I was struggling with, and they’d show me how to do things. I’d often pick up tips from them. We were a group of seven, and we got close. 

So, your classmates motivated you, helped you push through?

Everybody was on top of their game, we all motivated each other. So, I had motivation coming from teachers and classmates. There was no way that somebody was going to let you fail. If you didn’t come in, classmates called you. “You almost here? Where you at? What’s going on?” That was your alarm clock!

At 42, I’m guessing you were the oldest in your class.

Yes, I was the oldest. My instructors told me when I graduated that I was a leader, that I got my classmates motivated because, at first, I was the only one who stayed late. Next thing you know, one guy named Caleb – he won top welder – started staying with me, and then another guy. By the end I had five people with me at all times, just staying late trying to get better at our craft. 

Awesome. You graduated last Friday, have you got a job lined up?

One of the best things about Tulsa Welding School is before you even finish, they have job fairs. Companies come to the school looking to hire graduates. We had one while during my last phase. So, I already have three job opportunities lined up for sure. Because I have to finish up physical therapy, I’m waiting until after my graduation ceremony next week before I reach out. The only thing I have to do is call. They have my résumé, and they did in-person interviews during the job fair. So, the only thing I have to do is call these numbers. I selected three, there were way more than that, but I chose these three because I had the best interviews with them. After graduation, I will reach out to set up some weld tests.

Good luck with that…will the injury hamper you?

Not really, it’s my rotator cuff on my dominant arm. I’ll be back to 100% soon, I’m at about 92% now. When I first started at Tulsa, some of the welding positions were kind of painful, but I’ll be good soon.

You mentioned $30/hour, are you excited with the income that comes with experience in this trade?

I am. The job that I have the most interest in is a MIG job out in Lafayette, Louisiana. It’s a travel job with a fabrication company. They are paying $6,000 a month. Only thing I have to do is pay $50 for room and board, but they have a per diem. So, I’ll be making $1,500 a week, which is okay for me starting out. 

So, a travel job so you’d stay with the company and move from project to project?

Yes, they have different projects. They currently  have a project in Mississippi, as well as another in Corpus Christi, Texas. They want to hire people out of TWS. They know we’re coming out of school, hungry for experience, and that’s what I need. Most welding jobs are going to ask for at least two or three years of experience. The companies that come to the school know you’re fresh out of school, but they’re willing to work with you. I mean, you can’t beat it. The school is helping you out, helping you to actually get a job fresh out of school with companies that are 100% accepting graduates.

What’s your ultimate career goal from here, Byron?

My ultimate goal is, in 15 years, to retire from welding and use the money I’ve made to build a gym that holds eight full basketball courts, with volleyball lines and everything. I want to run tournaments in the nicest gym in Houston. There’s a place near me that has four courts, and they have four leagues going at different times. I play in a basketball league, and I see how much my team pays. So, if every team has to pay that amount, oh my goodness, that’s a lot of money! That’s been my plan from the jump.

Sounds like a plan! What do you enjoy most about your new trade?

I enjoy building things, putting stuff together, with the comradery of a good crew around me. Those are my top two. And I enjoy the welding. I catch myself going to places, looking at welds and thinking, “Oh man, look at this, I know I can do way better than that!” 

You mentioned your group of seven classmates: are you going to stay in touch? 

Yes, you’re going to make bonds and friendships with people at school while you’re there. With the instructors too, of course, but you’ll build a comradery with your classmates. We have a video group chat and an Instagram group chat that we all stay in. Job opportunities have been flowing in there already. People sending jobs they see, jobs that they’re going to do a weld test for, then sharing what kind of weld test they took, and what they had to do. We’re going to stay close. Out of that seven, I know four of us want to go work as a crew somewhere. So yeah, we’re definitely going to stick together.

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

You’re going to get frustrated. That’s normal because you’re not going to come in knowing you’re doing. So, don’t give up, ask questions, and put in the work. The more reps you run, the better you will get. Come to school every day, don’t miss a day, stay late or come in early if you can. Come to school every day, put in the work, and I promise you will succeed.

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).