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 New Castle School of Trades. 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.