Alfonso's Transition from Student to Welder

By Alison Kent, International Sign Association

It was on Sign Manufacturing Day when Alfonso Guida first set foot in a sign shop and found a career. Sign Manufacturing Day is an annual event in which high school, career and technical and community colleges and sign, graphics and visual communications companies collaborate to give students the opportunity to tour workplaces and learn more about the industry.

Most schools and companies participate in Sign Manufacturing Day during the first Friday in October (this year, October 6.) This event has fostered strong industry-education relationships that have in turn greatly benefited students by allowing them to participate in job shadowing and attain internships and co-op positions.

The company tour at Signtech opened Alfonso’s eyes to the opportunity to continue to learn and grow a career in welding. He applied for a job and within a few weeks was fully entrenched in the industry, turning his welding training into a career as a sign fabricator/welder.

Alfonso noted, “I’m doing much more than what I had learned in school. I’m learning every day. It’s a really great career.”

The men and women who design, manufacture, install and service signs are skilled professionals with passion, artistry and expertise. They thrive on the excitement of seeing their work on display throughout their communities every day, in signs pointing to the stores within a shopping center, detailing the day’s specials at a restaurant or showing what is playing at a movie theater.

Students with passion for technical trades from welding to CAD to graphic design can find exciting skilled careers in the sign, graphics and visual communications industry. The industry is actively hiring for a variety of positions and offers above average pay. This infographic shows where your students can find great careers.

Learn more about how your school and company can participate in Sign Manufacturing Day and give students the opportunity to get a firsthand look at careers in the sign, graphics, and visual communications industries!

For more general information about careers that are available in the sign, graphics and visual communications industries, visit www.signs.org/careers. 

Comments

[gaudensia]

A good idea for students to apply the skills they gain during the training and be able to choose. Practice makes work perfect. All the best to Alfonso. Thank you for sharing.

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