A Parent’s Perspective on Technical Education

Michelle Turner is the proud mother of Mike Turner, a Bridgerland Technical College graduate of our Automated Manufacturing certificate. She recently sat down with us to share her thoughts on the opportunities a Technical Education provided for her son Mike. She states that all she really knew about Bridgerland Technical College was that Mike had some friends take some high school classes at BTECH.

While Mike never did attend during high school, he was interested in one of our Information Technology certificates. The family came and met with some counselors who mentioned the Automated Manufacturing certificate. Mike went home and sent Matt Fuller (a Bridgerland Technical College instructor) an email and he saw the family the next day.

Michelle recalls that “My husband and I came in with Mike, and Matt talked about Automated Manufacturing. He probably spent at least an hour with us telling us all the possibilities, all the things you can do in the program and how it works.”He was great and spent a lot of time with the three of us. He told Mike the different job possibilities he could have after different periods of time. So, Mike was sold on it that day and so were my husband and I. We came back and signed up the next day. I felt like it would be a good fit for Mike. I knew that Mike learned by doing, not necessarily sitting in a big classroom with hundreds of students listening to the lecture. I was pro “smaller school” before going to a bigger school. Not necessarily that I knew anything about a tech school.”

Michelle continues, “What I know now that I didn’t know before about a Tech College is my son instantly had a job and several other opportunities as soon as he was done with school. Coming here and getting the job, he has gained a lot of confidence that he has never had. Its changed him. His confidence and believing in himself that he is able to get a job like anyone else. It has helped his self esteem and motivation more than I ever thought.”