Student Success Archives - 91��

Trade School Stories: Josh Speer

paradigm — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:43:34 +0000

Becoming a Skilled Maintenance Professional

For most high school seniors, the question isn’t whether to go to college. It’s where.

Josh Speer didn’t question it either. Until he did.

Watch: Josh Speer’s Story at NCST

Discovering The Trades as a Career

The assumption gets baked in early, in guidance counselors’ offices, in dinner table conversations, in the quiet pressure that builds through four years of classes designed to prepare you for four more. College is the default setting for life after graduation, and for many students, no one ever questions it.

“I always thought I would go to college,” he said. “Senior year kind of switched it up for me.” Josh graduated from Riverside High School in New Castle, Pa., and was a normal student. He described himself as a fly-under-the-radar kid: he got along fine, kept his head down, and made it through school. But as senior year arrived and the college conversation grew louder, something didn’t feel right.

It wasn’t that college seemed too hard. It was that he could already see what more years in a classroom would look like for him, and he didn’t want it. “Just doing homework all the time, just being in a classroom the whole time,” he said. “I can’t do it. I couldn’t do it.”

For many students, that feeling gets buried. It’s written off as laziness, fear, or a lack of readiness to grow up. For Josh, it was self-awareness. He wasn’t a sit-and-memorize learner. He had never been. And rather than spend four years and tens of thousands of dollars studying things that didn’t interest him, Josh started looking for another way.

“I just realized college wasn’t the answer for me,” he said. “Trade school was my best option.”

Finding 91��

Once the college assumption fell away, the path forward came into focus quickly. Josh began researching trade schools and programs in the area. 91�� was the closest option, so he scheduled a visit to see the campus for himself.

He enrolled that same day. “I took a visit here. I thought it was a pretty cool campus,” he said. “I got to talk to all the teachers, and I just thought it was a good fit.”

There was no agonizing over the decision. The hands-on environment, the smaller class sizes, the instructors who spent time talking to him all added up fast. For someone who had spent years in classrooms that felt out of sync with how he learned, walking into NCST felt like the opposite.

A Different Kind of Classroom

Josh enrolled in the Industrial Electro-Mechanical Technology program, building skills in major building, industrial, and alternative energy systems. One wall is dedicated to electrical systems. Another features live plumbing. Every corner of the space is a working system, something real that can be taken apart, diagnosed, and put back together.

“We have a lot of different stuff we learn in here,” he said. “Something different every day. That’s what I like about it.”

That daily variety, and the constant physical engagement with real problems, is exactly what Josh was missing. In trade school, information doesn’t live on a page waiting to be memorized and forgotten. It lives in the wall in front of you.

“If you get all the information in a book, you’re not really seeing it in front of you,” Josh said. “Seeing it in front of you is definitely a lot of help.”

Smaller class sizes further sharpen that experience. When a concept isn’t clicking, instructors notice. The class doesn’t move on without you.

“We have a smaller class here, so the teacher can help whoever needs help,” he said. “I feel like they care a little bit more, because this is a life career for me.”

Built-In Community

What Josh didn’t anticipate when he enrolled was the culture he would find inside the program. His classmates look out for each other in a way that surprised him. “I’m kind of the kid of the group,” he said, laughing. “They always help me. They definitely look out for me.” It mirrors the way the trades really work in the field: knowledge passed between people, experience shared freely, everyone pulling toward the same outcome. Nobody gets ahead by holding someone else back. “We all help each other here,” he said. “I’m grateful I met the guys here.”

His hard work paid off. In January 2026, Josh was accepted into the National Honor Society with a handful of his peers.

A Future-Proof Career

Ask Josh about the long-term outlook for his chosen field, and he doesn’t blink.

“There’s always going to be a need for a guy who fixes things,” he said. “You’re always going to have stuff that’s broken. We’re the guys you call in to fix it.”

He and his classmates have talked about what it means to work in a field that automation and artificial intelligence can’t easily touch. Technology reshapes industries, but the skilled trades remain stubbornly hands-on. Someone still has to show up and put their hands on it.

“We kind of know we’ve got job security,” Josh said. “It’s a pretty future-proof career.”

That confidence is already paying off. Before graduation, Josh secured a position with Elwood Group, a specialty metals company that helped fund a portion of his schooling through NCST’s employer partnership program. After graduation, he’ll enter their apprenticeship program before transitioning to a full-time role, a pipeline made possible by employers actively recruiting on the NCST campus throughout the year.

“Different companies come in every quarter that offer all these good things to you,” he said. “They want you to apply. They’re looking for you.”

The Advice He’d Give

For students wrapping up high school who feel like the standard four-year path doesn’t quite fit, but aren’t sure what the alternative looks like, Josh’s advice is direct.

“Do some research, because there are options out there,” he said. “Trade school is always an option. They’re more affordable and definitely better learning.”

When he tells people in his community that he chose the trades, the reaction is almost always the same.

“They have so much respect for me,” he said. “They’re like, ‘That’s the best option you could do for yourself.’ The community definitely backs the trades.”

His final word for anyone still on the fence is to just show up and see for yourself.

“Schedule a visit. It can’t hurt to just come here and check it out,” he said. “That’s what I did, and I thought it was the right fit. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

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Trade School Stories: Alex Stefek

paradigm — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:35:58 +0000

Finding His Path at Welding School

Alex Stefek had a great time in high school. He made friends, played sports, and built relationships that he expects to carry for the rest of his life. But if you ask about the classroom, his answer changes.

Academics were never his thing. Bookwork bored him. Weekly studying left him disengaged. The format never matched how he learned.

Alex was never a sit-and-memorize student. He needed to do something with his hands, to understand why it mattered, and to see the connection to real life. In high school, that mostly never happened.

Why High School Didn’t Work for Him

Alex grew up in Poland, Ohio, and attended Poland Seminary High School. Sports, especially football, were the center of his world. He had been playing since elementary school, and the game gave him something the classroom rarely did: skills that meant something beyond a grade on a page.

“Sports taught me how to be a leader and how to deal with adversity in my life,” he said.

That skill was tested in his junior year, when he broke his leg in a game. Surgeons inserted a titanium rod into his shin bone. The jersey he wore that night had to be cut off.

“That jersey tells a big story about me,” he said. “Stuff happens in life, but you always have to come back.”

And he did come back. In his senior year, he was voted team captain and played what he calls the best football of his life. But while life was fun, Alex still needed to focus on his future.

Why He Chose Welding Over a Four-Year Degree

Reflecting on his academic experience, Alex said it wasn’t that the material was too hard. He just didn’t feel connected to it.

“Learning math and science and all that, I never really was big into that,” he said. “I didn’t really enjoy bookwork and having to study every week, then basically forgetting it.”

That preference for doing over reviewing would turn out to be exactly the mindset trade school is designed for. Alex’s choice was four years in a classroom, studying subjects he didn’t enjoy, or training for less than a year and entering the workforce.

When he found the welding program at 91��, it all clicked into place.

What Welding School Is Like

From the moment he started welding training, Alex knew he made the right decision.

Smaller class sizes meant instruction moved at a pace that works for everyone, not just those who caught on quickly. And everything was connected to something real: reading a tape measure, calculating the diameter of a pipe, understanding why precision mattered before you ever struck an arc.

In high school, large classes made it easy to fall behind and stay there. At NCST, that was not an option, and not because of the rules. It was because the instructors noticed.

“Trade school is a lot more interactive,” he said. “If the teacher goes up to the board and asks a question, we don’t move on until everyone understands.”

Instructors kept students accountable without overwhelming them, creating a structure that felt personal in a way that high school rarely did.

“The instructors took the time to review my progress individually,” he said. “When I needed help, they were willing to come into my booth, show me an example, and watch me do it. In high school, it was always one big classroom, and everyone was following the same orders. If you fell behind, it was easy to stay behind.”

A Class Where Everyone Has Your Back

The collaborative culture at NCST left an impression. Welding skills were shared. School wasn’t a competition. Students who were strong in one technique would share what they knew with classmates who were still working on it and receive the same in return.

In trade school, Alex found that teamwork was possible. That was what he loved about football: that the people around you share their successes and cheer yours.

“At the end of the day, we all want to get out of here and go make good money and start good careers. And we might as well be friends with the people you’re here with, because one day, you’ll never know if you show up to a job site and that’ll be the guy welding next to you.”

Earning a Welding Certification at NCST

Alex graduated with a combination welding certification and is excited about the future and the career opportunities in welding, as well as the job security that comes with it.

“Fabricating, pipe welding, ironworking; anything that has to do with steel, metal, non-ferrous metal,” he said. “Someone has to make cars, buildings, everything. There are a lot of opportunities, a lot of room for that skill set to be used.”

Skilled welders are in demand across construction, manufacturing, energy, and infrastructure.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are each year, driven in part by an aging workforce and ongoing infrastructure investment. The combination welding credential gives graduates flexibility to pursue multiple career tracks.

Is Trade School Worth It? One Graduate’s Take

For students who still believe a four-year degree is the only path worth taking, Alex has a direct response. The trades offer career opportunities that can’t be replaced by technology, especially for hands-on learners.

“Think about what you’re good at right now,” he said. “If you loved playing with Legos when you were a kid, and you like to use your hands, or you like to work outside, trades are an option for you.”

He also points to what trade school offers that traditional education often does not: skills that will serve you for a lifetime and a career that won’t be taken away.

“Everything breaks in the world, and someone needs to come and fix it,” he said. “There are a lot of different opportunities in the trades where you can grow for years upon years.”

“I’ve learned a skill that I’ll use for the rest of my life doing something I really, really enjoy.”

Alex Stefek came to NCST the same way he came back from a broken leg: ready to work, ready to get better, and willing to take the time to do it right. In the welding program, he found an environment that rewarded exactly that.

Learn More

Explore the Program: Combination Welding at NCST
Schedule a Tour of Our New Castle Campus

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Trade School Stories: Kenneth “Kenny” Alli

paradigm — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:25:48 +0000

Employed Before Graduation: One Electrician’s Path Through NCST

Kenneth “Kenny” Alli grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, surrounded by family members who had built their livelihoods with their hands. Trade work wasn’t a fallback where he came from; it was a respected, well-established path. So when it came time to plan for life after high school, Kenny didn’t hesitate.

He enrolled in NCST’s Electrical Technology program after graduating from Valley Christian High School in 2022. By the time he was halfway through the program, employers were already calling.

WATCH: Kenny discusses his experience at NCST and what it’s like to enter the workforce as an electrician.

Choosing a Direction

High school gave Kenny his first real taste of routine: keeping up with grades, planning the next semester, adjusting to a schedule. He appreciated the structure, but he was still working out what came next. College crossed his mind, but it never quite the right fit.

“I didn’t think college was the right route for me,” he said. “Where I come from, working a trade is a respected and normal path. That is what brought me to NCST.”

He had briefly considered programming before settling on electrical. The appeal was straightforward: a focused, shorter path to a career with consistent demand. “That felt like a soft but solid landing for me,” he said, “helping me get my footing and start building toward what I want for my career.”

Why NCST

NCST had been on Kenny’s radar long before he was ready to enroll. He drove past the sign on the highway regularly, and the school came up often in conversations around him. The more he learned about it, the more it seemed like the obvious next step. His family background reinforced the decision. Almost everyone around him had come out of a trade or a hands-on job. When he visited NCST, the environment confirmed what he already suspected.

He also noted how efficiently the enrollment process moved. He had previously explored apprenticeships, and while they were upfront about next steps, the timeline dragged. NCST was different.

“When I applied to NCST, every step of the enrollment process was done within the same week,” he said. “There was no waiting list, no months of wondering if it was the right call. It was almost immediate, and I was able to just dive in.”

Learning by Doing

Textbooks never quite worked for Kenny. He understood things through his hands, through the act of doing. Trade school gave him exactly that. “The administration makes it easy to focus on your work and focus on your own improvement,” he said. “The environment pushes your learning forward rather than pulling you away from it.”

He also values the transparency of trade school. In his view, one of the clearest advantages over a traditional degree is that you know what you’re getting into from day one.

“With trade school, they tell you the job description up front,” he said. “They tell you what you are getting into. There are no surprises. They’re just straight up forward with you and lead you to what you may be doing for the rest of your life.”

Employed Before Graduation

Before Kenny finished his third quarter, he was already working in the field. He took a position on a residential job site on the south side of Youngstown, and showed up wearing his school attire since there was no required uniform.

The transition from classroom to job site was smoother than he expected. The work was familiar because the training had prepared him for it. New situations came up, but they didn’t feel foreign.

“It showed me just how close the classroom experience is to real field work,” he said. “Once you dive in, new things come fast because they are already familiar.”

Getting hired before graduation also confirmed something important for Kenny: the training he was receiving had real market value.

“I was employable before I even finished my third quarter,” he said. “People were interested in me while I was still in school. They wanted to see me work in real time, and I proved myself in an area I plan to be in for a long time.”

A Trade Built to Last

Kenny thinks about the long-term picture too. Electrical work isn’t going anywhere. As technology becomes more central to daily life, the need for skilled electricians grows alongside it, not in competition with it.

“Electricity is becoming more and more important,” he said. “Being in the trades and working with electricity, it will always be needed. I’m comfortable knowing that I’ll always be able to do my job, really, not have that threatened.”

Kenny’s message to anyone unsure about life after high school is straightforward: trades are transparent. You know what the job looks like before you commit.

“The best way to show someone how something works is to prove it to them,” he said. “With a trade, you can show a person exactly what they will be doing.”

Learn More:

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Trade School Stories: Alexandria Settle

paradigm — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:52:22 +0000

Getting a Start in HVAC

Arriving at NCST for her first day of HVAC training was an eye-opener for Alexandria Settle. As the only woman in the class, she admits she was a little nervous. “I had no clue what I was getting myself into,” she said. “I was scared I wasn’t going to make any friends, or that I wouldn’t want to do this anymore, because I had no people. I was going to be by myself.” But her fears were quickly eased. She quickly bonded with her classmates, made friends, and settled into the group, finding a place for herself among her peers. “They’re like brothers to me,” she said. “I really appreciate them.”

Alexandria’s Career Path Led to Trade School

Alexandria was a good student at Wilmington Area High School in New Wilmington, PA. With a GPA of 3.7, and a variety of extracurriculars that included FFA, basketball, marching and concert bands, track, concert choir, and golf, she had already built a resume that would have gotten her accepted to any number of good colleges. College golf coaches even contacted her about potential scholarship offers. But from the start, Alexandria knew college life wasn’t for her.

“I’m not going to lie. I did not want to go,” she said. “I was bored in high school. If we weren’t doing a lab or something, I just didn’t want to be there. I’d rather work with my hands.”

She thought her lack of interest in school would lead to fewer opportunities in life. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to have a great future. I thought that I going to live in a little house and never actually experience the world, or stuck working behind a desk or something.” It didn’t take long for Alexandria to realize a career in the trades is a good future for her. She’d had an internship at Keystone Compliance the summer before, and while there, Alexandria developed an interest in heating and refrigeration. She decided to try NCST’s Refrigeration and A/C Technology program.

Building Confidence and Heating and Air Skills

Once she got started, Alexandria quickly started building confidence, and she was off to the races. She even says she took offense to people who doubt her.

“I heard people say, ‘IF you graduate,’ not ‘WHEN you graduate.’ I know I’m smart. I was like, ‘There’s no reason I’m not going to graduate.’ I really like it here, and I like what I’m going into.”

Alexandria graduated from the Refrigeration and A/C Technology program in December, and had a job waiting for her at Weiser’s Heating Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, a company located in West Middlesex, Pa. When she was speaking with their reps, she didn’t even realize she was in a job interview.

“I sat down with them, and I didn’t even know it was an interview. I thought it was just a talk with him. After a few minutes they said they would really like me as one of their workers and I was a great fit for them. They offered me the job right then and there.”

A Rewarding Career

“HVAC is one of the best trades to get into,” Alexandria said. “I know a lot of people going into the trades want to do mechanic or electrical, but HVAC is such a good choice. There are so many HVAC companies out there, and they don’t have enough workers.”

At NCST, Alexandria found peers who encouraged her, and instructors who inspired her to work hard and develop skills to begin a job.

“I came here and realized I had a lot of big opportunities to do something with my life,” she said. “I can make money. I can get this stuff that I always wanted. It was a big change in my reality.”

Advice from a Trade School Graduate

Alexandria said NCST changed her perception on education and gave her the confidence to understand when she applies herself, she is capable of great things. When college isn’t a good fit, or even just for hands-on people unsure of what they want to do with their lives, Alexandria said trade school is a good option.

“Trade school in general is one of the best things you can do, and it’s one of the most needed things,” she said. “There are a lot of jobs out there for people coming out of college, but because there are too many people in that field, there is a lot of competition. But come to trade school and you’ll never be out of the job. It is so needed.”

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Trade School Stories: Sebastian Lewis

paradigm — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:05:11 +0000

A Career in Welding was Plan A

It seems like welding was always in Sebastian Lewis’s future. After first discovering it in his high school’s Vo-Tech program, he knew there was something special about fusing metals together.

“I wanted to do welding since I was 15, 16,” he said. “I’d weld for my friends. I’d weld some of my friends’ garages and stuff like that. Fix their lawnmowers. It was always simple stuff, but this was always a trade I wanted to do.” It didn’t take him long to realize that welding would be an important part of his life for years to come.

Watch: Sebastian Discusses How Welding School Helped Him Secure a Future

Looking for a welding school, Sebastian learned about NCST. He knew NCST was a trade school near him and thought it could be the educational experience he needed. He visited the campus and quickly enrolled in the Combination Welding program. He quickly learned he had structure he needed and freedom to be creative.

“The teachers are hands on, but they’re not standing over my shoulder and making sure I’m really paying attention to that history lesson,” Sebastian said. “In trade school they give you this piece of metal and let you build it for yourself. Bring it to us when you’re done, and we’ll give you pointers, then you go back and fix it yourself.”

Sebastian found a career path he was interested in and a field he felt comfortable with, more than that he took something he loved doing and made it a job.

“Welding’s an art. It takes a lot of heart, and there are a lot of things you can do with it. There’s a lot that goes into it. You have to be able to steady yourself properly and form a pattern. It’s complex, and you just work toward mastering it.”

And with that freedom comes new perspectives. The teacher is the classroom and shop leader, but ideas come from all directions. Everyone contributes to make sure everyone else is succeeding.

“Anybody here can teach you something. It’s not just the teacher who’s teaching,” he said. “I can go to the 30-year-old veteran in our class, and he knows things from his time in Iraq when he was welding a Humvee. The people who don’t know how to weld are showing up, and they find a new technique they share with everyone.”

Lost in High School, Finding Opportunity in Trade School

Like many others in high school, Sebastian kind of slipped by, advancing with mediocre grades and a lot of what he called apathetic teachers. He wasn’t passionate about anything he did. But while the high school experience wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be, he did learn something that changed the way he looked at the world and life.

“High school made me realize that education isn’t just in my hands. It’s also in the teacher’s hands,” Sebastian said. “Some teachers care; some don’t. If you don’t enjoy being in school, that’s not going help you enjoy it. I just kind of cruised through it. I just wanted to get done with it.”

He also had a limited support structure in place at school. He didn’t fit into the usual cliques. His friends also largely struggled. Some had issues even going to school. But Sebastian was already looking at trade school for his future plans.

Supportive Learning Environment

At NCST, Sebastian found a community where teachers are supportive and helpful, and classmates are future colleagues.

“There’s always something you can learn from anybody in the trades. I can go to auto tech. I can go to construction. Any of those kids will be able to share any of their knowledge, just like the teachers,” he said.

“My teachers at NCST, when they look at your welds, their input that makes you want to keep doing what you’re doing. It makes you want to improve.”

Sebastian has landed a job welding dumpsters, and said he’s having fun learning his trade on the job. But he has an eye on a future, where he’s able to work in different jobs, on different projects, using different types of welding.

“I want to try something structural related. Maybe structural MIG welding or structural flux welding. Something that really makes an impact on the world,” he said. “Forge welding. Forging is so cool.”

Finding a Secure Career in Welding

And aside from a passion, Sebastian looks at welding as a career he can keep for the long haul. “I have helped not only secure me a job for my future, for right now, but for the next 20 years, for the next 40 years, welding can be my career. Every bridge you drive over has a weld on it. The buildings you stand in are welded together. The cars you drive are put together with welds.” And Sebastian has a lot of options for welding careers. He can work as a fabricator, pipe welder, or underwater welder, all tracks that emphasize different skills, and contributing in real ways to making society better.And Sebastian said his trade school experience made those options possible.

“If I had the chance to tell somebody to come to NCST, I would tell them to not miss an opportunity,” he said. “Do something for yourself that you know you’re going to love and appreciate. You’ll be paying a lot more at college than you would here.”

Resources:

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Trade School Stories: Emily Stelter

paradigm — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:05:20 +0000

Starting a Career in HVAC

The decision to go to trade school rested on one fact for Emily Stelter. “I wanted a skill I can use all the time. It’s job security when there’s always a job to be done. I just never wanted to feel like I wouldn’t have a job.”

And the graduate of NCST’s Refrigeration and A/C Technology program got the skills and the job, finding employment even before she finished the program.She even thinks she could have gotten the job sooner had she tried.

Employers in the Trades Want to Hire Young Professionals

“People are very willing to hire young, ambitious professionals,” she said. “When they see your motivation, your drive, they’ll hire you right away. They want somebody who has the energy to work hard.”

As a younger student right out of high school, Emily felt like she had an advantage in finding a job. Where older workers tend to get set in their ways, younger trade school graduates often are more energetic, trainable, and eager to begin.

“Employers want to hire younger workers, especially because they can still train you,” she said. “It’s easier to adjust to the company. You’re more motivated to get things done, stronger and faster. They’re really looking for that.”

She shared that her future didn’t always feel so promising. After graduating from Riverside High School’s online program, she admitted that high school felt more like an obligation than an opportunity, and she often worried she was settling for an average path.

“High school was just something I had to conquer. Doing online school led me to feeling like there weren’t a lot of options for me,” she said. “I felt like there were limits, like ‘oh, I can’t be great. I can only be good.”

Finding a Path in Refrigeration and A/C Repair

Emily was determined to make her own way. And for her, trade school was the key. “I was like, oh, so actually, I am going to school. I am going to have a career, and I am going to do things differently.”

She knew as soon as she stepped foot inside 91�� she had found her home.

“I just loved the people I met with. My interviews, my tours. This school is so beautiful. It was awesome. The lab is what really sold me. I saw everything in there, and I was overwhelmed. I loved it.”

So she enrolled and started training in the Refrigeration and A/C Technology program. As a self-proclaimed shy kid in high school, Emily felt empowered to do something shy kids rarely do: speak up.

“Oh, I’ve received a lot of help with everything,” she said. “Anything I didn’t understand, eventually I did.”

She is proud to follow her family in the trades and has seen first-hand how they can help people create a lasting, rewarding career offering job security, personal fulfillment, and the ability to support your family.

“Every man in my life that I hold near and dear does a trade. My stepfather’s a welder. My oldest and youngest brother do automotive. And they’re all awesome.”

Women Work in the Trades

Emily added being a woman in the trades only creates opportunity to be a role model for other women to join her.

“The men around me have not only been supportive, but absolutely respectful at all times. They know women have beautiful, sharp minds,” she said. “Women can do well in any trade, whether it be HVAC or automotive or construction.”

Given the demand for skilled trade workers, there’s plenty of room for women to come into a field like refrigeration and A/C repair, welding, or electrical technology and find success working there.

“If you’re a hands-on person, there’s a lot of work to be done. You don’t have to worry about ever losing interest or being bored, because you will not be,” she said.

She said students who don’t fit the mold for “traditional” education have a place in trade school, where they can learn a skill that keeps them employed and gives them room to grow.

“Your work is always going to keep your attention because there are always new things to learn. There are so many different things you can do,” she said.

Emily graduates from NCST excited that she’s found her calling, that she started her career so quickly, and that she overcame four years of uncertainty about her future.

Her best advice, especially for students close to NCST’s New Castle, PA. and East Liverpool, OH. campuses, is to take a look at trade school.

“I definitely recommend NCST. If art and English literature and math aren’t your thing, you definitely can find something here that is.”

Ready to start a new career? Our Refrigeration & A/C Technology program helps you gain the hands-on, career-ready skills you need to launch a future in the HVAC industry.

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2026 NCST Career Fair to Be Held March 19

paradigm — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:56:46 +0000

Event Details

With more than 100 area employers and hundreds of attendees on hand, 91�� (NCST) will hold its 10^th annual Career Fair March 19 from 10 am to 3pm on the school’s main campus, located at .

The NCST Career Fair is a great resource for job seekers in the area, from Youngstown, Ohio to North Pittsburgh and communities in between. Dozens of employers from those areas will be on hand, as well as military recruiters and other local businesspeople and employers.

Who Should Attend

NCST expects more than 500 job seekers, students, graduates, and families and friends to attend. The event is free and open to the public. There they can network with industry reps, speak directly to employers looking to hire immediately, and get information on training opportunities in the skilled trades.

Among the oldest and most respected trade schools in Pennsylvania, NCST has served the New Castle, Pa. community for more than 75 years. Founded in 1945, NSCT offers programs in a variety of skilled trade positions, including automotive technology, motorcycle repair, construction and building technology, welding, truck driving, and more.

NCST’s hands-on learning environment, knowledgeable instructors, and modern equipment has helped it establish itself as a premier institution of on-the-job training in Pennsylvania.

NCST President Rex Spaulding called the job fair an annual tradition that continues the school’s legacy of bringing together employers and the skilled workers that can help elevate their businesses.

“91�� has a long history of skilled trade training, and we’ve been proud of the response we’ve gotten from the Career Fair over the years,” Spaulding said. “Bringing together employees and employers is a vital part of our mission to promote skilled trades work.”

School Director Dennis Corrado added that the NCST’s standing in the community and reputation for training some of the region’s best and brightest skilled tradespeople makes it the perfect location to host the event.

Employers & Career Opportunities

“There are great companies all around the area looking for welders, electricians, truck drivers, auto technicians, heavy equipment operators, HVAC service techs, machinists, and professionals in construction, manufacturing, and production,” Corrado said. “Our students, and professionals from all over, love coming to the Career Fair. NCST is an ideal place to hold this event.”

For more information on the Career Fair, including attending sponsors, visit the Career Fair page.

NCST can help you build the skills to find career success in the trades. Classes start soon!

Add the Event to Your Calendar:

2026 Career Fair

The post 2026 NCST Career Fair to Be Held March 19 appeared first on 91��.

Trade School Stories: Bryce Strawcutter

paradigm — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:46:09 +0000

Going to School for Construction and Carpentry

The key to NCST grad Bryce Strawcutter’s success was figuring out his learning style. It started the day he arrived for class at 91��. He was worn down by his high school experience. Four years of sitting in class looking at a whiteboard while teachers lectured about topics he didn’t care about left him unsure about his future.

Watch: Bryce’s Journey to NCST’s Building Technology Program

After graduating, Bryce planned on taking two years to decide what he wanted to do with his life. Then he heard about NCST. “I didn’t really know what I was going to do after high school,” he said. “Then I found NCST. It was close to me, and I had friends going there.”

Discovering Construction as a Career Path

Bryce enjoyed building things and developed a love of construction from his grandfather. So he enrolled in NCST’s Building Technology program. It didn’t take long for him to realize NCST was a completely different learning environment than high school. Focused on hands-on learning, he quickly found he enjoyed learning more than ever.

“High school had some trades built into it, but I liked NCST more. I learned a lot more than I did in high school, and NCST was more hands-on.”

Bryce found that working closely with tools and processes, rather than studying theory, helped him remember concepts better than just hearing people talk about them or completing assignments. “I remember more if I just do it,” he said. “Just going through the process helps me learn it better.”

Learning from Mistakes and Building Confidence

Helped by expert instructors who Bryce found knowledgeable and always willing to help, he started to feel he had found something he was truly good at. And ironically, it was in making a mistake that he learned he did belong. “I accidentally broke a window,” he said. “I felt bad, and I just kept saying I was sorry. But the teacher understood and calmed me down. He just kept saying, ‘don’t worry about it. It’s okay.” That gave him the confidence that getting through mistakes isn’t a failure. It’s just part of the job, and by focusing on doing the job right, mistakes can be overcome. Soon he was picking up more advanced concepts in carpentry, framing, masonry, roofing, and finishing. He saw a career in construction in his future.

“That’s when I realized I was okay,” he said. “It changed my outlook on the future. I felt more confident about being successful, and that’s when I realized I actually understood everything we were doing.”

Those plans include finding a job in construction and continuing to build his skills not only in the technical aspects of construction, but in time management, quality, and safety, learning to complete construction projects of any kind. Personally, Bryce intends to use the skills he learned at NCST to build his own home someday. He said his trade school experience has empowered him to believe he can achieve his goals. “I feel like I have a much bigger future than before.”

Trade School Was a Life-Changing Decision

Bryce looks at enrolling at NCST as an important moment in his life, one that helped him shape his career and build a future. “I made the right choice,” he said. “I would recommend anyone interested in the trades look at NCST. It’s a great school to go to and figure out what you really want to do.”

Want to build your new career? Our Building Technology program can help you develop career-ready skills to begin a construction career.

The post Trade School Stories: Bryce Strawcutter appeared first on 91��.

Trade School Stories: Aaron Dilling

paradigm — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:09:50 +0000

Reving Up His Job Skills in the Motorcycle & Power Equipment Program

For many senior high school students in Lawrence County and across Western Pennsylvania, the path after graduation feels unclear. Aaron Dilling knows that uncertainty firsthand. As a student of Mohawk High School in New Castle, PA, Aaron knew sitting in a classroom wasn’t leading him into the future. “I just couldn’t connect,” he said. “I never liked the traditional school setting.”

He studied welding from 10th to 12th grade, and while the more technical nature of the work was interesting and fun, he knew something was still missing. He found his passion in motorcycles. More specifically, the Motorcycle & Power Equipment Technology program at NCST, where Aaron looks to find a job as a motorcycle mechanic. “I found my calling,” Aaron said. Aaron enjoyed working on motorcycles and found the industry’s stability and high job demand (without the crushing debt of a four-year degree) a great start to a promising future.

We sat down with Aaron to discuss his experience, what motorcycle and small-engine repair school is really like, and how this career works with being a parent.

Watch: Training for a Career as a Motorcycle Mechanic

Student Perspective: Inside NCST’s Motorcycle Mechanic Training

Q: How did you decide on NCST’s Motorcycle Program?

Aaron: When I was going through high school, trade schools and big colleges kind of scared me. I didn’t want to repeat the high school experience. I was worried it would be the same thing, just sitting in classrooms, staring at screens, feeling lost. But I found motorcycles to be a passion in my life. I love working on them. I wanted to know more, how to tear down a motor, do all the fun stuff that people do. When I saw that 91�� had a motorcycle mechanic program, I jumped in as fast as I could.

Q: What is the time commitment, and what kind of credentials do you earn?

Aaron: The Motorcycle and Power Equipment Technology program at NCST is a 15-month program that gives you an associate’s degree. Most people don’t realize that it gives you an actual college degree. When I first got in here, I knew it was going to be hands-on because you can only teach so much with motorcycles from a book. But it’s more of actually doing it—that’s when you really learn it. If you come in here and you don’t learn anything, you’ve wasted the day. You’re paying for it, so why waste it?

Q: Why is trade school Plan A for your future?

Aaron: People think it’s a Plan B or Plan C because society tells them, ‘Oh, go get a $100,000 degree.’ But I’m not here for the money. I’m here because I love it. It’s always been Plan A. Is it a good career path where you can make money? Absolutely. But if motorcycle and power equipment are going to be a good career for you, you need to have the passion to make it a good career.

Q: What’s the student culture like at NCST? Is it competitive or collaborative?

Aaron: The students in the motorcycle program and the other programs at NCST are usually willing to help you if you need it. They are absolutely there, jumping in and helping you, or they’re asking you for help, and you’re going over there supporting them. The students are also teachers, because I might understand something that somebody else does not. That kind of teamwork really makes a difference. Everyone is supporting each other to succeed.

Q: What does the hands-on training involve, and what skills do you learn?

Aaron: In the motorcycle program, there are three main instructors who handle different aspects of the training. In the first quarter, you go through an electrical course, which is completely different from just motorcycles. It’s super hands-on, but there are also PowerPoint presentations. You just have to know this stuff. The electrical course is the make-or-break point when coming into the motorcycle program. Once you get into the motorcycle section, it’s extremely hands-on. It’s just busy, and you’re learning constantly. The instructors are there to guide you, but a lot of the learning happens by doing.

Q: Besides fixing bikes, how does NCST prepare students for a career?

Aaron: NCST sets you up for success no matter what you do. They work with you. Most people don’t have a resume or don’t know how to properly do the things in their program. And here’s the thing: I’m in a motorcycle program, and since I understand the basics of a motor, I can fix it. Something breaks? I don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on somebody else. I can do it.

Q: How has attending NCST changed your future outlook?

Aaron: Before I got to 91��, I was struggling. I felt like I hit rock bottom. I was somewhere I knew I shouldn’t have been, and I said, ‘You know what? I need to make a change.’ When NCST was like, ‘Hey, motorcycle program,’ I was all in. I see a better future every day. I’ve already got a client base building. It’s as much as I put into it is what I get out of it. I have the skills now. You can’t take that away from me.

Q: What does having a secure career mean for your family?

Aaron: My family is everything. My daughter is important to me. Being here in the motorcycle program, I feel like I don’t have to go work somewhere far away or be gone all the time. I can work at home, I can stay with my kid, and I can spend more quality time with her instead of paying for babysitters. Quality time with my daughter is something I strive for. Even when I have to go somewhere to fix something, I’m taking the kiddo along. She’s over there playing in their yard while I’m fixing their bike, their quad, their side-by-side. That matters.

Q: What was it like to finally find where you belong?

Aaron: Before I found NCST, I felt like there was something missing. I was lost. I was confused. I didn’t know where I was going, what I was doing. Then I came here, and I just knew it was right. I didn’t know if this place was going to work out, or if I’d be here for a little bit and then go somewhere else. But I just graduated. That feeling of knowing you’re on the right path? It changes everything.

Q: What would you say to high school students around here, in the Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio areas, who are unsure about their next steps?

Aaron: If you’re graduating high school and you’re struggling to figure out what you want to do, trade school is always an option because it’s not going anywhere. You will always have work everywhere. The trades always need workers. I would recommend NCST because it takes you from where you are at Point A to Point B: a better future.

A Future in the Trades Starts Here

Success doesn’t always follow a traditional path. For high school students in New Castle, Lawrence County, and throughout Western Pennsylvania, trade school offers a rewarding alternative to four-year colleges. A trade school program can lead to a stable career with good pay with work you can be passionate about.

Don’t wait to discover where you belong. Start building your new skilled trades path today.

The post Trade School Stories: Aaron Dilling appeared first on 91��.

Trade School Stories: Braddick Singleton

paradigm — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 19:19:57 +0000

Finding His Hands-On Path in Automotive Technology

For Braddick Singleton, the traditional classroom setup was always a challenge. Like many students who think with their hands first and textbooks second, he struggled to stay engaged sitting through lectures. But at 91��, Braddick discovered what learning could really look like when you’re working on what you love.

Braddick recently shared his experience in the Automotive Technology program and how NCST gave him the opportunity to turn his passion for cars into a real career path.

From Shadow Day to Mechanic Student

Braddick’s journey to NCST actually started while he was still in high school. He visited the school and got a glimpse of what hands-on training really meant.

“I came to the school to shadow and learned a bunch of stuff that I didn’t know about already,” Braddick explained. “It’s hard for me to sit in the classroom for an extended period of time and really take in all the information, compared to being able to get my hands on it.”

That visit stuck with him. After graduating from high school, Braddick made the decision to enroll at NCST and dive straight into automotive work. While he was a little nervous at first, he quickly realized he’d made the right choice to train as an auto mechanic.

Learning the Craft with Instructors Who Care

One of the things that stands out most to Braddick about his time at NCST is the quality of the people. The instructors aren’t just there to teach; they’re invested in each student’s success.

“All of my instructors are great people. You can tell they care for your success, and that means a lot to me as a student,” Braddick said. “It almost excels my growth, knowing that they care for mine.”

That kind of support makes all the difference when you’re learning a skilled trade. At NCST, instructors bring real-world experience into the shop, and they understand that every student learns differently. For students like Braddick who thrive in hands-on environments, that personalized attention accelerates their development.

Building Friendships and Finding Your Future

Beyond the technical skills, Braddick also found a community. Over his first few quarters, he’s connected with classmates who share his passion for automotive work and built friendships that will last beyond graduation.

“I’ve met a lot of great people, and I don’t regret anything here,” Braddick shared. “I’ve made a lot of great friends, and it’s been a great time.”

But the real payoff is the career flexibility that comes with mastering automotive technology. Whether you want to work at a dealership, open your own shop, specialize in engine building, or restore classic cars, the skills you learn at NCST open doors across the industry.

“Just learning the craft of automotive, you can take it anywhere you want to go,” Braddick said. “You can open your own shop or take your own branch with building engines or restoring cars, whatever you want to do.”

Turned Passion for Cars into a Career as a Car Mechanic

Braddick’s story shows that you don’t need to force yourself into a learning style that doesn’t work for you. If you’re someone who learns best by doing, who gets excited about diagnosing problems and fixing things with your own two hands, then trade school might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Starting out in the Automotive Technology program, you don’t need to be an expert. As Braddick put it, “Even if you know absolutely nothing about cars, it’s a real opener for you to get into it and see what you have to do and see what it takes to start a career in this.”

In fact, Braddick has already recommended a few of his friends to NCST because he believes in the quality of training and the opportunities it provides.

Ready to work on what you love? If you’ve been looking for a way to turn your interest in cars into a stable, rewarding career, our Automotive Technology program can get you job-ready and working in the field faster than a four-year degree.

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