Trey started in the South Central College Connects Manufacturing Bridge class in the summer session of 2024. Earlier that year, Trey had very quickly obtained his GED at Mankato Adult Basic Education (ABE) and was tuned into the bridge grant and class through Mankato ABE staff. He came to the first bridge class with his hair on fire, by that I mean it was dyed red, orange and pink.  He immediately struck the bridge class instructor as a young man with potential. He was tech savvy, cheerful, helpful, and FULL of energy.

He excelled in class, a student who took care of assigned work and engaged in the academic setting. This was surprising because like many students in the Manufacturing Bridge class, Trey carried some of the heavy baggage of life. A high school dropout at 16 years old, living in the back of his car, a person who had lost direction. His home life was dysfunctional, his father was in jail, a difficult relationship with his mother and mental health issues of his own made for a formula of potential failure. Yet despite all those obstacles, Trey didn’t become discouraged; he overcame those barriers and stood out not only in the Manufacturing Bridge class but in his pathway after class ended.

Seeing that Trey was an individual worth a little help in the right direction, the Manufacturing Bridge instructor asked that the welding instructor add a seat to the already full welding class in fall 2024. The instructor accepted this request and Trey’s life took off. 

His semester started with a cold spell early in the fall, very dark and wintery, with slippery roads and inclement weather. Trey would get to school in a car that barely ran, then when winter approached and the vehicle started to have significant issues, he’d ride a motorcycle that had “bad accident” written on the license plate. Trey would wear several hoodies to keep from freezing to the seat. 

At the same time, Trey was also working a full-time second shift at local manufacturer which meant starting late afternoons and ending sometimes well past midnight. Yet Trey would be back at the welding class the following morning at 7 a.m. no matter what. His dedication shined, as he would make the trip back and forth from St. Peter to North Mankato steadily day after day, despite weather conditions and even if he worked into the overnight hours. 

Trey, as he did in the Manufacturing Bridge class, excelled in welding. He took to it like a fish to water, which was appropriate in that he wanted to be an underwater welder. He’d researched the job and read that the pay was fabulous! This dream changed when it was explained to Trey that the dangers involved in the job were deadly. 

Trey successfully finished the welding class in December 2024, scoring well in all areas of the class. Most of the assignments he needed to complete were done well ahead of deadlines. Trey’s training was supported by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) program. He graduated from South Central College with a smile on his face and a bright future ahead of him. From there, he started to apply at various companies that were looking for welders to find the best opportunity for his post-graduation path as he continued working full time. 

He had a few very strong opportunities at companies in the South Central Minnesota area who were interested in hiring Trey based on the impressive weld scores he provided to them. Finally, in late February of 2025, he landed with a company that he is still with today. Trey started at Data Metalcraft in Arlington, Minnesota at an impressive wage of $26.50 an hour. He’s still at the same company a year later and now earning upwards of $28.00 an hour, with another upcoming raise hopefully arriving soon.

In late 2025, Trey returned to South Central College to visit. His hair is now a dark black, his natural color – and he’s still cheerful and FULL of energy. He shared that he enjoyed his welding job and was making decent money – life was good, he had achieved success! He proudly showed the bridge instructor pictures of the house he had recently closed on, with a big garage out back that he is going to turn into a welding shop. When his instructor walked Trey out to the parking lot to see him off, he jumped into a new dependable car, a stark difference from the days of a less-than-reliable car he had prior. Trey started it up and drove away into a life and future that look very bright!

We hope to see Trey again, perhaps to speak to future Manufacturing Bridge students or future welders about his journey. If not, Trey’s support team at CareerForce in Mankato and South Central College are collectively confident that he’s out there enjoying a productive life – being able to support his family with a cheerful, happy and proactive mindset and FULL of energy. The sky is the limit for Trey and I would imagine years from now we will continue to hear about further success from this tremendous Manufacturing Bridge student!

• Find out more about South Central Workforce Council, Minnesota Valley Action Council and Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council who provide P2P training programs in Southwest and South Central Minnesota
• Contact jed.highum@state.mn.us for information about the SCC Connects program or other P2P programs in South Central and Southwest Minnesota
• Contact staff at a CareerForce location near you