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Daniel, 19, was born and raised in Moultrie, Georgia. Daniel completed the seven-month Professional Welder program at our Tulsa Welding School – Jacksonville campus in March 2026, before adding the extra couple of months to also complete the Pipefitting program in May 2026.
Thanks for your time, Daniel. Was going to a trade school – a welding school – always the plan?
Yes, going to a trade school was always the plan since I struck my first arc when I was eight years old in my father’s shop. I never really saw myself going to a major university. I’ve never considered myself book-smart in the traditional sense, but I’ve always been very good with my hands. Growing up in a welding shop and spending time around a fire department helped me develop that.
I graduated high school this time last year. After high school I started looking into multiple welding schools. I looked at Western Welding Academy and Missouri Welding Academy, but neither one stuck with me. They were far from home, and honestly, they felt uptight and overly serious – like everybody expected you to be perfect right out of the gate. What I liked about TWS was that there was room for improvement. Nobody hated you for making mistakes. It felt like a place where you could learn and grow instead of being judged.
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Interesting. So, your dad’s a welder too?
My dad has been welding since he was about my age, and his father was a welder too. It’s a family line. There really is that tradition of following in your family’s footsteps. But honestly, following my father’s and my grandfather’s path led me toward something really great.
Why did you start with the Welding program and then enroll in Pipefitting later?
Believe it or not, I thought about Pipefitting from the start, but I didn’t know exactly what my future was going to hold. I figured I’d take it one step at a time, enroll in welding first and see where it led me. My plan was that if I felt pipefitting would benefit me later on, I’d add it. And that’s exactly what happened.
What made you decide to add it?
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The welding program is broken into six phases over seven months; each phase is five weeks. Around Phase Four, the company I’m going to work for – Cadell Construction – came to TWS and gave a presentation. They told us what they were looking for and how badly they needed welders and pipefitters. I put my application in then – back in January. Adding pipefitting wasn’t about the money for me. I looked at it as adding another skill set, so I’d always have more opportunities than the next guy. It’s one more wrench in my toolbox. I figured if I knew both welding and pipefitting, I’d always have more job security.
I was in my welding booth one day and thought, “You know what? I’m going to do pipefitting.” I shut off my machine, walked into the office, told them I wanted to enroll, did the paperwork, and five minutes later I was signed up to start in March. I finished welding on Friday and started Pipefitting on Monday.
Cadell came to the school at the start of the year, but were willing to wait until June?
Yes, because the kind of work they want me to do involves international projects. That process takes time. There’s paperwork, passports, visas, government approvals. I talked with Ms. Cheri in Career Services and asked if it would be smart to apply early so I wouldn’t be scrambling for work after graduation. She said absolutely. So, I applied early, and now I’ll fly to Brazil, to start work within two weeks of finishing school.
What did you enjoy most about your time at Tulsa Welding School?
For me, the best part was feeling comfortable enough to make mistakes. TWS was laid back enough that you could learn without feeling terrified of getting something wrong. The instructors made it fun while still teaching seriously. One instructor used to play music down his aisle, and we became pretty good friends. One day I came around the corner dancing and had him laughing so hard he almost cried. I’m a bigger guy, so apparently seeing me dance was hilarious. I think I threw my hip out because I felt it for the next week.
The instructors and staff evidently made a big impression on you.
Absolutely. One thing about me is I’m extremely hard on myself. I’m OCD. I want everything done right the first time. Naturally, though, as people we make mistakes, and it’s hard for me to accept that sometimes. One instructor named Nick pulled me aside one day and told me, “If the instructor isn’t worried, there’s no reason for you to be worried.” That stuck with me. The instructors knew I cared about my work. They knew I was putting in the effort and trying to improve.
School is supposed to be the place where you make mistakes…and learn from them.
Exactly. Learning from mistakes helped me become a student ambassador at Tulsa Welding School. I got the chance to help newer students who were struggling the same way I had. I told them that what makes someone a professional isn’t how many times you get something right – it’s how many mistakes you’ve learned from. I’d tell students what Nick told me, “If the instructor isn’t worried, you shouldn’t be worried either.” Make mistakes now in school, not later out in the field where it could cost you your employment.
You had years of experience before coming to welding school. Did the program still challenge you?
Absolutely. One thing Tulsa does well is treating everybody the same. It doesn’t matter if you’ve welded before or never touched a machine. They teach everyone their way from the ground up. Now, I’ll admit some things came easier to me because I’d been around welding most of my life, but I still had to relearn things the Tulsa way instead of just doing things the way my dad or granddad taught me.
When you had difficult days at school, how did you push through frustration?
Honestly, it came down to asking the right questions, knowing the right people, and having the right attitude. And every now and then, hitting something with a hammer helped too. I’m joking…mostly!
Let’s talk about Cadell. Are you happy with where you’re starting financially?
Yes, sir. At 19 years old, because I made smart choices and because welders are in such high demand, I’m going to be making over six figures a year – and somewhere around $30 to $40 an hour starting out. I’m very happy with where I’m at financially. I’ll be able to help take care of my parents one day, raise a family, and build a future with my girlfriend.
What kind of work will you be doing?
Part of the work involves projects for the United States government and military. Some of it is confidential, so I can’t go into details, but I’ll be working as a structural welder around the world. Some places are in politically tense areas, but the company takes very good care of its workers; safety is a major priority.
And you expect to go overseas immediately, you said?
Yes. Their apprenticeship philosophy is basically that you learn by working. They’d rather get you involved right away instead of having you sit around for months. Not everybody is willing to travel internationally and spend long stretches away from home, but I’m willing to do that. I’ll be in Brazil and then North Africa over the next few years, so I’ve got solid job security ahead of me.
How does your girlfriend feel about all of this travel?
She’s sad because I’ll be gone a lot. But as someone planning a future with me, she’s happy because we’re building stability and opportunity together. I see this as something I can do for several years, gain experience, make good money, and eventually come back home. One day I’d also love to become a welding instructor and give back what I’ve learned – but that’s probably 20 or 30 years from now.
How often will you get to come home?
The company requires a minimum of two-weeks recuperation leave every six months, and you can build more vacation time on top of that. They’re also very understanding about family emergencies or major life events. If something important happens, they’ll help you get home. And if my family wants to visit me, there are ways to make that happen too. So even though I’ll be traveling, I won’t be disconnected.
Do you have a career plan mapped out in your head?
There are three things I really want to accomplish. First, I want to work internationally. Second, I want to work in the nuclear industry someday. I’ve always wanted to see a nuclear reactor and be part of that kind of work. Third, eventually, I’d like to come home and take over my father’s welding business in Moultrie.
What kind of welding works does your dad’s business do?
Cooper Welding is a fabrication shop. We do a little bit of everything – farm equipment repairs, handrails, fabrication work, whatever people need. One of the jobs that made me realize welding was what I wanted to do happened when an older farmer called us on a rainy Saturday because his planter had broken. It was 45 minutes away. My dad asked me if I wanted to go on my first welding call. I didn’t go alone, he came with me, but that job really changed everything for me. I realized that if I could help people like that, imagine what I could do on an even bigger scale someday.
What do you enjoy most about your trade?
Honestly, it’s the financial security. Welders are needed everywhere, so there’s always work. It gives me peace of mind knowing I’ll be able to provide for myself and my future family.
Did you make some friends at school?
Absolutely. I made some really good friends. One guy in particular, Andrew from North Georgia – he’s all right in my book!
What advice would you give new students starting at Tulsa Welding School?
Good things aren’t easy; easy things aren’t good. If you want to be successful – to be great – at something, you’ve got to struggle. You’ve got to fail. If you hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere left to go but up.
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).
