After spending eight years teaching internationally, Brad Williams was ready for a change of scenery, and to make more money.
“I spent more than eight years teaching in Asia and I hit a point in my career where I couldn't make more money,” he said. “I probably did over a year of research looking into other fields and that led me to Barton’s program. It's like winning the lottery finding the program. If people knew the benefits and opportunities, everybody would be doing this.”
With starting salaries up to the $50k range and beyond, the money has been everything Williams hoped, but is not the only benefit.
“Nothing's ever boring,” he said. “Every day is different. I get to travel and I've been to a lot of different states. If there's a job that I don't particularly enjoy all I have to do is wait because next week it'll be something totally different.”
Williams said Barton’s program is focused on real-world experience and that through workforce partnerships students are all but guaranteed to find a job very soon after, if not before, completing the program. The program has a certificate option that can land someone a job after only one semester, or students can pursue a full associate degree in a year.
“I like the fact that the classes were very hands-on and very practical,” he said. “People in the
Industry like vice presidents of companies know the professors here, so you feel like you're being taught by an expert in the actual business not just a theoretical expert who knows what's in the textbook.”
Beyond the money and the travel, Williams said a sense of pride and job security are other positive aspects of a career in the natural gas world.
“It's a job with a lot of responsibility but it's a job that comes with great benefits and it's very stable, and once you're qualified in it, you will be in high demand. It’s something I wish I had known about when I was 20 years old.”
For more information on Barton’s Natural Gas Program visit naturalgas.bartonccc.edu or contact Ahmed at ahmeds@bartonccc.edu or call (620) 792-9381.