Graduate Connections – Meet Corey Sutton

Corey, 26, was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He completed the Professional Welding training program at Tulsa Welding School, Jacksonville in May 2026. 

Thanks for your time, Corey. Tell us about the years between high school and welding school.

I graduated high school in 2019 and went straight to Santa Fe College in Gainesville. I had a love for space science – astronomy not astrology, there’s a difference. Astronomy is the study of celestial bodies – planets, black holes, stars, and everything else, not signs of the zodiac! But when it came to taking classes, I realized that while I love science, I can’t stand math. I don’t underestimate myself, but I’m also a realist, and I was like, “Dude, I don’t know if I can hang.” I started college in the fall of 2019 and COVID came along in March 2020. I was paying to go to college while classes were canceled, and everything was uncertain. I wasn’t doing well anyway, so I broke my lease and came back to Jacksonville. 

What did the next five years look like before you decided to go to welding school?

I started job hopping, trying to figure out what to do with my life. My mom always told me, “Either you’re going to sacrifice now, or you’re going to sacrifice later.” A lot of people after high school just live in the moment. You think, “I graduated. I can relax and kick it.” Then time starts flying by, suddenly you’re 20, 21, 22, 23 and still doing the same thing. One of my early jobs was at UPS; physically, it was very demanding work. I was like, “Oh, man. I can’t do this. This job sucks.” I left. I’ll admit, I was weak! After UPS, I did commission jobs. I don’t recommend commission jobs, they’re horrible. One job was selling solar door-to-door; I worked my behind off every day for 12 hours but my paychecks didn’t match the work I put in. 

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At some point last summer, you decided on welding. Where did that idea come from?

After the commission jobs, I went back to UPS and decided to lock in, stay there, hustle, and move up. I worked the graveyard shift, became a supervisor, and was there for about five years, including my time at welding school. I remember talking to one of my higher-ups one night last year; he told me that he’d done his time at UPS and was thinking about welding. I don’t know why, but that conversation about welding, about moving on with our lives, just stuck in my mind. 

Had you ever done any welding before? 

No, I had zero welding experience. I didn’t know anything, but I’d just turned 25 and I thought, “Man, I’m getting older.” I remembered seeing Tulsa Welding School commercials on TV when I was younger. I thought, “Screw it. Let me try something different, something outside the box. Why not?” So, I went to TWS, toured both the welding campus and the HVAC/Electrical campus, and just signed up and got locked in. I did the afternoon class, and after school I had about three hours so I’d go home, take a quick nap, and then go to work overnight. I’d get home in the morning, go to bed for a few hours, and do it all over again. 

So, what was your favorite part of your time at Tulsa Welding School?

I met this one instructor, Shane Murphy. He is, hands-down, my favorite instructor in the building. He’d work with you and was very straightforward and honest. I had him for both TIG phases. TIG welding, in my opinion, is probably the most tedious welding process. So having the guy I felt to be the best instructor helping me through the most tedious phases made everything fly by. It seemed simpler. Even though MIG was my favorite process, I didn’t really care for that instructor. Having an instructor who genuinely cares about you and wants to help you was the best part. Shout-out to Shane Murphy.

A lot of people go into the program with no experience. How did you find it overall? 

I had days where I was like, “Bro, what am I doing? Why am I here?” But I feel like that’s normal. That’s just being a human being, especially when you’re doing something new. I understood that I could have those thoughts, but they didn’t stop me from coming in every single day and finishing it all the way through. I’m the type of dude who believes in doing hard stuff. That’s why I was at UPS for so long. Even though I originally left, I came back and said, “Man, stick through it.” I like to challenge myself. It’s about proving something to myself. 

How did you overcome those days?  

My character comes from my mom, and things I went through in the past. I was raised hard. My mom didn’t play around. No bad grades, none of that. She was also big on communication. If it wasn’t for her and a lot of my past experiences, I wouldn’t be the young man I am today. So, communicate; always ask questions. If you’re confused, don’t hold your tongue. I don’t care if you ask the same question four times. So, communicate. I feel like that’s the biggest superpower you can have as a human being. 

Good advice. Where are you working now? 

I moved to Manchester, Iowa, last week. I now work for a trucking and trailer company called XL Specialized Trailers. My first day was August 24; I go in at 3 p.m. and get off at 11:30pm. XL came down to Tulsa Welding School to offer a weld test. Ironically, I didn’t feel confident that I’d pass the test. 

Why not?

I’m a realist. I felt like I was decent at welding but know that I still have a lot of room to learn. You need to have a student mentality as a welder. Always be willing to learn. Don’t come in thinking you’re some deity or the big dog…because there’s always a bigger dog. But I was one of the few who passed their weld test, so they had me continue to the interview that same day, and they hired me right then and there.

What’s a typical day like?

Man, this is probably the most complex, difficult job I’ve ever had. I’m still in my first week and trying to figure everything out. But it feels like every day will be different. The end goal is the same – build the trailers – but the way we approach problems and different situations is completely different. 

It’s more fabricator work than just welding. Fabrication, in my eyes, means you’re doing multiple things. Depending on the job, you might be doing MIG, but you’re also reading blueprints, taking measurements, doing prep work and handling all kinds of other tasks. Welding is just a part of the job. 

The way I think about it is like Legos. You get a Lego box, open it up, and you’ve got all these pieces and a booklet. The booklet is basically your blueprint. That’s literally what we’re doing. We’ve got all these components like big rails and huge metal slabs. We’ve got different machines and cranes. You attach hooks to the pieces, crane them into place, and literally build a trailer. Sometimes it’s two guys building these huge trailers that weigh tons. You have to make sure all your measurements are correct.

Talk to me a little bit about the financial side. 

It’s my first week, so I haven’t gotten a paycheck yet. I did the math beforehand and knew what I was going to make, but I’ll see how it shakes out. One reason I came here is because they talk about the low cost of living compared with states like Florida, which I agree with. Of course, I expect to get raises in the future. As of now, it’s fine, but I’m not content. I want to grow and make more, but we all have to start somewhere. 

What’s your career plan from here? 

To make real money in the welding field, your skill set will reflect your value. Right now, I’m going to learn as much as I can. I’m going to be like a sponge and absorb everything; I’ll keep practicing and climb the ranks either within this company, or through another opportunity. I’m going to keep pushing because I don’t plan on staying in Iowa forever, I want to travel. I’m looking at this as a steppingstone. This isn’t my end goal, but I’ll do whatever I have to do. This is a very physical job, it’s tough. It’s hard, hard work. But I’m going to suck it up. Like I said, sacrifice now or sacrifice later. I want to get to a point of comfort where I’m getting paid well, I’m happy and satisfied with life, and I’m not killing myself doing it. I want that balance. There’s a reason a lot of people don’t do blue-collar labor. But it feels good challenging yourself, overcoming obstacles, learning, getting better and then looking back at what you made. That’s the payoff.

Did you make any friends or connections at school that you’ll stay in touch with? 

Yes and no. I have a friend from school named Dylan who graduated way before me. He’s really my only friend in the welding industry. He has his own welding business now; after he graduated, he’d come up to the school sometimes to keep me on my game. But other than that, I was cordial to people, but I was there to focus. I only really wanted to talk to the instructors. I’d come in, do what I need to do, get it knocked out quickly and efficiently, and go about my business. I’ve always been that type of dude.

What advice would you give to new students who are about to start at Tulsa Welding School? 

To reiterate what I’ve already said: have a student mentality. Listen. Ask questions and absorb as much information as you can. Lock in. You paid your money to come here, so have that student mentality. Even when it sucks, when you’re not feeling good, whatever the situation is, have the willpower to lock in and thug it all the way through. Everybody has a different reason why they’re here. Think about your “why.” Use your ‘why’ as your energy and fuel to succeed. 

If you’re a TWS graduate and would like to share your success and be an inspiration to others, please email [email protected] to be considered for a Graduate Connection interview. Please include details such as your graduation date (month/year), program, and campus name (Tulsa/Jacksonville/Houston/Dallas/Atlanta/Phoenix).