TWS is a Great Training Option for Everyone
Learn more about how we can prepare you to advance your career.
La Shaya, 23, was born and raised in Columbia, SC, but moved to Jacksonville to finish out the last two years of high school. She completed the seven-month Refrigeration Technologies program at Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville in December 2025.
Thanks for your time, La Shaya. What did you do before coming to TWS?
I graduated high school in 2021. When I got out of school, I didn’t really have a career plan. I just knew I liked making money! I worked at a lot of temp agency jobs, mostly general labor, hands-on work. I did warehouse work, some fast food – I even became a shift leader once. But they were mostly temp jobs where you just worked hard for a small weekly check, and you’re not building anything long-term. In high school I was into sports and cooking, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to cook long-term!
Where did the idea of the trades come from?
Have You Considered a Career in the Skilled Trades?
Fill out the form to recieve a no obligation info packet.
I had a couple of associates, high school friends, in the same situation, just working and getting by. We didn’t want to limit ourselves to low-paying jobs forever. Someone told me, “To figure out what you don’t want to do, you have to try something,” and that stuck with me. That’s what made the trades appealing, having a trade gives you something that no one can take away from you, something you can take anywhere.
When considering trades, did you first think about HVAC or Refrigeration specifically?
Not at first. I was working as a merchandiser for Keurig Dr Pepper, and I saw maintenance positions there. The people fixing equipment were making more than the people like me stocking shelves. If you look at a lot of jobs, people who make the most money are often the maintenance technicians. I didn’t want to keep stocking shelves in coolers while people are making more money fixing the things. That made me think, “Why not me? Maybe I could go to school and get one of these maintenance positions here.”
So, I started exploring trades. I tried to figure out what fit me. Welding? No, I don’t like playing with fire; Electrical lineworker? No, I didn’t want to work up high. But I did like the idea of working with coolers and wiring, and fixing things. It was really trial and error, playing with the pros and cons in my head. A few of us from high school ended up going into TWS together.
That’s cool. What did you enjoy most about the program itself?
New: Industrial Maintenance
Learn About Our New Advanced Industrial Maintenance Program
Tulsa Welding School is proud to announce our newest program offering available at our Houston & Dallas Metro Campuses – Advanced Industrial Maintenance Technology! Learn the skills you need to take on the industries of manufacturing, distribution, energy production and facility maintenance in as few as 7 months.
The realism. The instructors don’t sugarcoat anything. They’ve all been in the field for years, so they tell you exactly what to expect, what pays well, what doesn’t, what to focus on. They keep it real. If you want to learn, they’ll teach you. If you’re just there to coast and waste their time, they won’t hold your hand. They give you real advice beyond just the curriculum – how to get a job, how to act in the field. They set you up good. They just do really well by laying out the pros and cons and telling you all about what you’ve get yourself into. They don’t sell you a dream like most people try to. They show you the reality.
Did you have any prior experience with HVAC or wiring?
None. It was all new. The only exposure I had was seeing the maintenance teams at work and realizing those jobs existed. That’s what sparked my interest.
How did you find the program? Was it challenging? Were there times you felt like quitting?
Yes, but I always thought about the bigger picture. I didn’t like my old job; I dreaded going to work. Sometimes, unfortunately, you just need that piece of paper to make more money. I’m a visual learner so I liked the fact that we didn’t just get lectures. We got demonstrations and a lot of hands-on practice. You had a chance to watch the instructor, then do it yourself. You don’t just get verbal lessons, I liked it.
And that’s what kept you going?
Yes. I knew going to school could lead to something better, so I started thinking long-term – about owning a home, having stability. That kept me going through the challenging times. If you want it enough, you’ll make it work. You just can’t have too many distractions. I just focused on improving my life situation. Having friends on the program helped. We kept each other accountable – texting each other to show up to class, keep our heads straight. It was like a buddy system. We really pushed each other to show up and succeed. That made a big difference.
It’s good that going to TWS with friends helped you. But what if someone starts school alone?
You’ll still meet people. Stay focused but be social. It’s very hands-on and collaborative, so you’re not on your own. There’s a lot of teamwork, and people help each other out – especially those in class with prior experience. You’ll find there are people with different levels of knowledge who are going to school for different reasons. In our class, we weren’t all new to the field.
What schedule did you do? Was balancing work and school manageable?
I did evening classes and kept working at Keurig Dr Pepper. Yeah, it was manageable, especially with the hybrid learning options. If you needed extra help, the instructors were available. There were lab days and additional opportunities to get more hands-on practice whenever you needed. It wasn’t limited at all.
Did your plan of moving up with Keurig Dr Pepper work out after graduation?
No, I ended up leaving because the position I wanted wasn’t available anymore. But I got hired through an agency and now work with Schneider Electric as a wiring technician. I’m in Hopkins, South Carolina.
Congratulations! What does your job involve?
I work on wiring machines – specifically switchgear units. You can wire panels or entire systems. It’s mainly electrical work right now, but there’s room to move into the maintenance field later. I only started two weeks ago. They kind of took a gamble on me.
How did you find the job?
I found the Schneider job myself, but Marilyn in Career Services definitely tried to find me a whole lot of stuff. This is what I’ll say about Tulsa, they set you up for success after school. My résumé was good and I’m not going to say Career Services harassed me, but they were really trying to make sure I got a job before I did! They put you in position to succeed, and they follow up with you too, they don’t just leave you hanging. Marilyn asked me what locations I wanted to move to, but I just found a job I was content with. But she definitely tried to pull some strings for me, she really tried to accommodate me.
That’s great to hear. Are you happy with the pay?
Yes. It’s more than I was making before, and I will get a sign-on bonus after my 90-day probation period; that’s when I move from the temp agency to fully joining the company. I work 4x10s, Monday through Thursday. I’m on the B shift, so that’s 3:30pm to 2:00am, and we get a 10% bump for working that shift. We also get overtime rotations on Fridays.
What’s your long-term career plan?
I’d like to stay with the company and grow. They offer cross-training in areas like welding and maintenance, and that’s valuable. Not many companies offer those kinds of opportunities.
What do you enjoy most about working in your trade?
The sense of progress. I like solving problems and completing something. Every day I’m working toward a goal, learning, and improving. It’s not repetitive like my old jobs, it keeps things interesting.
Do you stay connected with your TWS classmates?
Yeah, we have group chats. People share job opportunities and help each other out. Some classmates have already been hired through connections like that.
What advice would you give new students considering TWS or picking a trade?
Whatever you learn, you’ll always benefit from it, you can always do something with it. Even if you don’t use it as a career, you’ll save money and gain valuable skills that you can use for yourself. Even working on your own A/C units can save you a lot of money! Having a trade is something nobody can ever take from you. You just have to focus on the long-term benefits. In just a few months, you can gain skills that others take years to learn if they don’t go to school. Going to Tulsa Welding School is worth it. I heard a lot of people talk negatively, but it’s what you make of it. I got a great job out of it, and I didn’t waste my time in school. You really can’t lose if you take it seriously; it’ll open a lot of doors for you.
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).
