How does a Princeton graduate find his true calling on an offshore oil rig? The latest episode of Voices Uniting Everyone (VUE) explores the power of workforce training and the pathways through the high-demand field of Welding Technology at ACC.
Hosts Larry Davis, ACC’s vice chancellor of Belonging & Purpose, and Dr. LaKisha Barrett, Biology associate professor at ACC, sit down with Welding Technology Professor Christopher Portillo. After starting his undergraduate education at Princeton with a trajectory toward finance, Portillo realized the corporate world wasn’t his calling. His path eventually led him to offshore oil rigs, where he discovered a passion for welding. He came to ACC to earn his degree and eventually teach at the College.
One of Portillo’s students, Elliott Roethlisberger, joins the conversation to discuss his fascination with the craft and his goals to merge technical expertise with creativity, with his sights set on the aerospace industry.
For those interested in exploring the sparks of a new career, more information on the Welding Technology program is available at austincc.edu/welding.
Watch the full episode below.
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