Former UA Cossatot welding student Ashley McBroom of De Queen, Arkansas

Ashley McBroom is a resident of De Queen, Arkansas, and a former UA Cossatot welding student. On July 31, 2019, Ashley and her husband drove sixteen hours to their new home in Hartford, Wisconsin. Ashley is now employed to work as a laser welder for Steel Craft Corporation in Hartford where she will begin her new career as a welder.
Ashley took college credit courses while she was a high school student. As a high school junior, she enrolled in welding courses through UA Cossatot's Secondary Career Center. The Secondary Career Center gives high school students the chance to get a head start on college and learn new skills for their trade. In the afternoon, she would leave high school and then go to UA Cossatot's welding shop for her college courses.
Two years later, McBroom graduated from De Queen High School in May of 2019. That same month she graduated with a Certificate of Proficiency in SMAW Welding from UA Cossatot. She actually received her college certificate two days before her high school diploma.
Ashley McBroom said, "I believe UA Cossatot's Secondary Career Center is an all-around great idea! It is a great program that gave me the head start I needed, and I don't know that I would have pursued this career without this opportunity. To have graduated from high school and college, at the same time, feels great! It makes me feel like I have accomplished so much more!"
The job demand for welders and the creativity that they are allowed in their work inspired Ashley to major in welding. Ashley felt that UA Cossatot was the perfect place to receive her welding education.
Ashley McBroom said, "I chose to come to UA Cossatot because of the location, the opportunity to take college classes while I was in high school, and because of the great things I had heard about the college.”
Ashley added, “Having been a student in the welding program at UA Cossatot, I can say the welding program is great! The classes were extremely hands-on, and I felt prepared for my tests. The learning environment was great! My instructors were able to communicate effectively with us, and all of the students were able to ask questions."
When asked why she chose to take this job in Wisconsin, Ashley said, "This job is a great opportunity to get a foot in the door into the welding community. I would love to stay at this job long-term and work my way up. I also feel like I'll pursue a welding career throughout my life because I enjoy it so much!"
The welding courses Ashley took at UA Cossatot were all located at UA Cossatot’s De Queen Campus. In the fall of 2019, UA Cossatot will be offering secondary welding courses through the Secondary Career Center at the college’s De Queen, Nashville, and Lockesburg Campuses. Post-Secondary welding students will be able to take welding classes in either Nashville or Lockesburg.
Anyone interested in learning more about UA Cossatot's welding program can contact Pat Earnest at pearnest@cccua.edu.
High School students interested in learning more about the welding program offered through the Secondary Career Center can contact Julie Rhodes at jrhodes@cccua.edu.