Welding sparks lasting education

CVTC high school academy alumna set to earn associate degree

By Alyssa Van Duyse

Chippewa Valley Technical College

By the time Jenna Lawrence first struck an arc in the Welding Academy at Chippewa Valley Technical College, she already knew two things about herself: she loved working with her hands, and she wasn’t afraid of hard work. What she didn’t yet know was how far that combination would take her.

Now 20, Lawrence splits her life between Wisconsin and Texas, between welding labs and rodeo arenas, textbooks and trailers. Her ironclad foundation was laid during her senior year of high school, when she participated in CVTC’s high school Welding Academy in River Falls.

A Hands-On Spark

Lawrence’s path to welding wasn’t obvious at first. Like many students, she explored several interests and initially envisioned a future in veterinary science. But nothing clicked until she stepped into the shop.

“I realized welding was the one thing I kept coming back to,” Lawrence said. “It was the only thing I was interested in enough that I’d watch videos about it on my own or imagine having my own welder someday.”

After taking welding classes at River Falls High School, she discovered both a natural aptitude and a genuine passion for welding. Encouraged by teachers and classmates and urged by friends to apply early, she enrolled in the CVTC Welding Academy.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d get in,” she said. “I applied late, but someone dropped, and I got the spot. I was so excited.”

The Welding Academy placed Lawrence in an immersive, college-level environment while she was still in high school. Four-hour morning sessions blended hands-on welding with classroom instruction.

Alex Bohl, welding instructor at CVTC, remembers Lawrence clearly.

“She always had a great attitude and work ethic,” Bohl said. “She was ready to dive in headfirst, regardless of the task.”

“Jenna was the type of student that makes an instructor’s job easy,” he added. “In a competitive setting like welding, her quality of work pushed others to want to do better.”

Lawrence said the classroom instruction became especially valuable once she reached college.

“At the time, we thought the book work was boring,” she said. “But when I got to college, it made everything so much easier. I already knew the terminology, the blueprints, the theory.”

Welding Meets the Real World

Lawrence and her dad eventually purchased a multi-process welder, and she began tackling real projects, building a welding table, repairing livestock panels, and customizing horse equipment.

“I realized how customizable life becomes when you can weld,” she said. “There are so many things where you think, ‘I could just fix that myself.’”

Outside the welding booth, Lawrence’s life revolves around horses. She didn’t grow up riding, but during the pandemic, a single lesson turned into a passion. By 15, she was riding daily, competing in high school rodeo, and eventually earning a state title in goat tying.

Rodeo became a pathway to college. Lawrence was recruited to compete at Odessa College in Texas, where she’s now pursuing her associate degree in welding. Thanks to CVTC, much of her coursework transferred seamlessly.

“They reviewed everything I did at CVTC and said it would transfer just fine,” she said. “That was the goal, and it worked.”

Looking Ahead

With graduation approaching, Lawrence hopes to combine her skills, education, and lifestyle by welding horse trailers for a leading manufacturer. She also plans to continue competing, with hopes of entering professional rodeos.

Wherever she lands, one thing is clear: Lawrence is building a life she can take pride in, weld by weld.

“CVTC gave me the confidence that I could do this,” she said. “It showed me that I belonged in welding and that I could take it anywhere.”