December 18, 2013 at 3:23 p.m.
Mid-life career shift to manufacturing 'best move I've ever made,' Nicolet student says
Mid-life career shift to manufacturing 'best move I've ever made,' Nicolet student says
Not Ron Evenson.
"I worked in the restaurant business for more than 30 years, ever since I was 13 years old," Evenson said. "To tell you the truth, I just got burnt out on it. I advanced as far as I was going to go and decided it was time to do something different."
Evenson made the move last year and enrolled in Nicolet's Industrial Maintenance Fundamentals short-term training technical certificate program. This year he used that credential to ladder into the college's two-year Industrial Maintenance Technician associate degree program.
How's it going for him?
"Without a doubt it's one of the best moves I've ever made," Evenson said.
Shortly after earning his Industrial Maintenance Fundamentals certificate he landed a job in the maintenance department at Drs. Foster and Smith in Rhinelander
"It's great to be able to apply what I learn in class to what I'm doing at work," he said. "Knowing about the hydraulics and pneumatics, when they start talking about this regulator and that regulator, and knowing what others at work are talking about is a huge benefit. Things couldn't be working out any better."
Evenson also gave a big thumbs up to the in-depth, hands-on approach to the instruction he's receiving at Nicolet.
"There're times when the sound a pump or hose is making can actually tell you if it is working properly," said Evenson, who is nearly a straight A student. "A textbook can't make those sounds. You can only hear that and learn what's going on by working hands-on with the equipment and we get a lot of that in our classes at Nicolet."
Brigitte Kumbier, dean of Trade and Industry at Nicolet, said Evenson's story is one of many at the college where students have been successful starting new careers through the college's manufacturing program.
"It's very exciting to see students get jobs and start new careers even before they graduate," Kumbier said. "We're finding that employers are being very supportive, that they are offering students flexible schedules so that they can attend class to advance their skills."
As for Evenson, when he completes his associate degree he plans to continue working at Drs. Foster and Smith.
"They've been really supportive of my education and they really want me to get my associate degree," he said. "I like the job. It's something different every day. The pay is good. I have benefits, and I have weekends off. I never had weekends off in my entire life working in the restaurant business."
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