While many graduating seniors may wonder what their future holds, Jacob Allen is already taking college classes and headed for a lucrative career in welding and/or automotive technology. Jacob will receive his diploma from Early College Opportunities High School in May 2025 in possession of three industry certifications in welding. He is enrolled in the Santa Fe Community College and will seamlessly continue his education in SFCC’s welding program where he plans to complete a Welding Certificate this summer with 41 credits. He has earned a 3.6 GPA at SFCC. Here’s a profile of one of ECO’s super stars:
What career options are you considering? I’d like to work at LANL (Los Alamos National Labs) or as a pipefitter. Since freshman year, I always liked welding, and Manny (Mr. Kavanaugh, his welding teacher) opened my eyes to the welding world.
What is your dream job? I’d like to be a welder in an auto shop. I was able to weld a car in Mr. Seymour’s auto tech class, allowing me a real-world experience.
How did ECO help you achieve your goals? This school helped me improve the skills I already had. My dad also had a big part in getting me the skills before I came to this school.
What was your favorite project while at ECO? My favorite project was building a rocket stove, like a portable stove or grill.
What class or classes inspired you the most? Classes that inspired me were welding and construction. Mr. Doyle (his construction teacher) really allowed me to expand my creativity. This school has a lot of advantages because it’s small, and I’ve made a lot of close friends. (He also took woodworking and design classes, benefiting from ECO’s curriculum that emphasizes integrating the trades. He earned college credit from the American Institute of Indian Arts for completing design classes.)
What are your interests outside of school? I like working on my car--a Mustang.
What is something that makes you smile? Seeing people I love.