Most seniors recognize that after high school ends, college will begin. However, some seniors at Yutan are going straight to work instead of schooling right away or even at all. One example is senior Colton Kirchmann, who plans on joining the workforce as a welder. 

“Every time I pull that hood down over my head and weld them, it’s just a different weld and I love that weld. I don’t want to change it,” said Kirchmann.

Even though Kirchmann will not continue schooling, he will continue to learn as he trains to become a welder. However, becoming successful in the welding industry is not just about knowing how to weld properly but also knowing how to associate with other successful welders. 

“You have to have a lot of connections because in the welding world, we have a lot of word of mouth,” Kirchmann said. 

To become successful in this blue collar industry, Kirchmann believes that relying on actions is key. 

“Don’t talk a whole lot. Just let your actions show and just be honest with everybody. Don’t hide a whole lot of things,” Kirchmann said. 

Like Kirchmann, senior Hailey Drews’ career reflects on something she has cared about for a long time. Drews aspires to be a large animal veterinarian once she saves enough for training and schooling.

“I would be taking care of your larger animals such as horses, cows, stuff like that, giving them medicines, surgeries. Mainly all the stuff a vet would do but just on the bigger animals and not your smaller dogs and cats,” Drews said. 

The way Drews is preparing for her career is to work at a doggy daycare and save up her money for her future veterinarian program. 

“I work at a doggy daycare, and I take care of dogs all day and that definitely makes me want to be it (a vet) more. Also, I live on a farm, so being around those animals all day, just adds to it. And I also have a second job and I am saving up as much money as I can,” Drews said. 

For Drews, her dream of becoming a veterinarian for large animals was influenced by her upbringing. 

“So I actually live on a farm, and I grew up with horses, cows, goats, all of them. And just I’ve always had a special place in my heart for animals, so I just feel like that’d be the best job for me,” Drews said. 

While Drews is interested in working with large animals, senior Gavin Fenn intends to operate large vehicles. After high school, Fenn will be working as a forklift operator and as a diesel truck driver. 

“Those jobs entail operating a forklift, getting my forklift certification and then driving a tractor trailer,” Fenn said. “I found out about this career from when my mom was talking about her insurance claims of truckers, and she told me how much those truckers are making. So I immediately thought, ‘Hey, I should probably do this. They’re making a lot of money.’”

Once Fenn is hired, he will have to complete on-the-job training. 

“When I get a job with an employer, they will train me and I will acquire my certification through that. When I begin training, I need to learn how to move heavy equipment, work well with others and become skilled in heavy machine operating,” Fenn said. 

Even though many seniors are planning for college, Fenn knows that this is the right path for him, and he encourages others to do what’s best for their futures.

“Don’t push yourself to your limit; just push yourself as far as you are comfortable going,” Fenn said. “Even though I’m not going to college, I look forward to my future career as a forklift operator and diesel truck driver.”