Student Spotlight: Brock Arrowood

This article is the latest in a series in association with Rhinelander Partners in Education.

Since its earliest days, logging and lumber have been central to the evolution of the Rhinelander area and forestry remains an integral industry in this part of Wisconsin. The implements, however, have changed considerably, as Rhinelander High School student Brock Arrowood has learned through his job as an apprentice at forestry manufacturer Ponsse.

Based in Finland, Ponsse specializes in the manufacturing of machines used in forestry and logging, as well as technology for informational systems. They have locations in over 10 countries, including in the U.S. 

As of 2020, the company employs over 1,800 people.

Arrowood has been working for Ponsse for four months and this is far from a passing fancy for him. He has dreamt of working for the company since he was a child. Years down the line, this would lead to an interest in a career in diesel engineering.

“Ever since I was a little kid I thought that it would be an awesome place to work, but I never thought I would [actually] get to work there,” he said.

Initially, he started out as an apprentice for the first month, but eventually grew into it with practice. At Ponsse, he has numerous responsibilities. Specifically, he works with heavy equipment and welding on a regular basis, which continues to fuel his interest in digital engineering.

“It’s pretty fascinating; there’s a lot to it.” he explained. “You’re constantly learning because they’re always coming out with new things, and everything’s constantly changing. There’s always new parts of the engines getting changed, updates done to older engines. Everything’s just getting changed for the better.”

Arrowood intends to use his experiences with Ponsse to pursue a potential career in diesel engineering. After high school, he intends to go to college to pursue an engineering degree. After that, he will return to Rhinelander and continue to work for Ponsse.

Along with the support of his family and friends, Arrowood has also forged new bonds at his job. For one thing, he has been able to form meaningful friendships with his co-workers.

“A lot of my co-workers are my good friends and people I would trust quite a bit,” he noted.

In addition, he has been able to use his welding skills at home, fixing things around the house.

“At work, I make a lot of tables and stuff like that,” he explained, “but at home, it’s more like fixing stuff that I break. I have a lot of heavy equipment at home, so I get plenty of use out of it. I weld a lot at home, and I weld a lot in general, so just that practice helps.”

Between school, life, and his job at Ponsse, he has been able to  manage balancing his time efficiently. However, he said he prefers to keep himself engaged however he can.

“I enjoy constantly being busy,” he said. “I don’t like to be without something to do, so it’s just from one thing to the next. I also have plenty of time with school.”

Going from a childhood dream to reality, Brock Arrowood now has the career he has sought since childhood. 

With his current skill set and a path set on continuing education, his career with Ponsse will be more secure, with plenty of new things about diesel engineering to learn along the way.

For others who wish to pursue a career in diesel engineering, Arrowood advises, “Don’t be afraid to reach out and contact wherever you want to work. They appreciate that willingness to work there, and it shows a lot of character.”

Jake Schexnaydre may be reached at [email protected].