Find out how Justin Adams and Colin Degross landed jobs while still in college
Manufacturing programs at Olympic College help students fast track their careers and land jobs while still in school. The recently completed $10.1 million renovation to the Shops Building on the Bremerton Campus further supports the development of our students. By bringing precision machining, technical design, and welding under one state-of-the-art roof, our manufacturing & trades curriculum mimics the real-world working environment.
As part of the grand opening ceremony Sep 13, two students spoke about their experiences in the welding program at OC and how they were able to secure jobs while still in school. One student is a recent graduate; the other is a current student who will graduate in Fall Quarter, 2024.
Justin Adams
Justin Adams graduated from OC in 2018 and studied in the Shops Building before its remodel. Each year students in the welding program build and test drive a Baja buggy as part of a Society of Automotive Engineers program, and Adams served as team lead on the project during his time at OC.
“It’s crazy to stand here now and see how big this building really is and seeing how everything has changed,” he said. “But as far as the goal of this building, I can speak firsthand that it really does apply to the new industry standard, going from precision welding to computer-aided design, to 3D printing, to machining.”
Adams and Colin Degross both work at Dundon Motorsports in Gig Harbor, where they are able to put the skills they have learned at OC into practice.
“We actually do all of those things, from internal manufacturing to external manufacturing, and metal 3D printing,” Adams said. “The skills that I was able to get here definitely applied at my new job.”
Being able to get a job and quickly enter the workforce while still in college, just as many of his classmates did at the time, was a huge benefit, Adams said. It was easy for him and his classmates to get jobs after graduating from OC.
Adams noted that when he started at OC, he was a husband and father of two. Now he’s a husband and father of six.
“My whole life has changed in that time,” he said. “I’m excited for the new classmates that are going to walk into this building, and I can’t thank all the faculty enough for my classes that have really helped change my life.”
Colin DeGross
Colin DeGross was a student during the renovation of the Shops Building. The closure of the building and relocation of the program to the nearby West Sound Technical Skills Center caused a temporary hiatus of the program and meant DeGross is graduating later than he’d intended.
But it was exciting knowing improved facilities were on the way: updated ventilation systems, new tools, modernized welding booths, and enhanced safety features significantly improved the learning environment.
DeGross landed the job at Dundon Motorsports about four quarters into his program at OC. Now, he’s directly applying all the manufacturing methods and welding skills taught in the program.
“The welding program played a significant role in preparing me for the workforce even before graduation,” he said. “It provided a strong foundation in both technical skills and practical experience, which gave me the confidence to step into a job while still in school.”
“Additionally, the soft skills I picked up through the program at OC, such as time management, teamwork, and troubleshooting, have helped me transition smoothly into the workforce,” he added.
DeGross is glad he got the opportunity to finish out the program in the newly renovated building.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with this,” he said. “I started out at West Sound Tech, so it’s a huge privilege to be out here and be able to finish my last quarter at the new building.”
Learn more about manufacturing programs at OC
Ready to learn an in-demand trade that can give you a rewarding and high-paying career? OC offers programs in Engineering Technology, Precision Machining, Technical Design, Welding, and more. Visit our Manufacturing & Trades webpage to learn more.
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