“Ask the Expert” with Michael Cole from Tulsa Welding School & Ken Vogel from Essential Electric

This week on “Ask the Expert,” our host Mike White sits down with experts from all over town and asks them the important questions. Today, Mike had the honor to sit down with Michael Cole from Tulsa Welding School & Ken Vogel from Essential Electric.

 

Short company description:

• Since 1949, Tulsa Welding School has been preparing students to enter the skilled trades industry with knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for success • At Tulsa Welding School, we provide the opportunity to gain specialized training in the technical trades, offering programs in welding, pipefitting, HVAC, electrical and more. • Our welding, HVAC and electrical programs can be completed in as little as 7 months, equipping students with the necessary skills and qualifications to enter the workforce with confidence. • Our schools train students in skills they can apply to lifetime careers and help employers in growing industries find qualified tradespeople. • We provide comprehensive training, combining classroom learning, practical lab experiences, and virtual instruction in welding, HVAC, and electrical through OcuWeld and Interplay Learning, equipping students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the field.

---

What Is Your Why (Why Are You In Business)?

Everything that I do is driven by my desire to impact the lives of others and their futures. I love coming to work to help my students, but also the people I work with – I enjoy helping them set their objectives and working toward advancing their careers as well. I strongly believe that not everyone thrives in the four-year, traditional, college setting and the career school give those individuals an opportunity to take pride in earning a living doing what they like to do.

---

How did you get started in your field or work?

As a career school graduate myself, I understand the need that exists and how education changes lives.

---

What’s one thing we should know that makes your company unique?

We are the world’s largest provider of welders and create a hands-on experience that helps our students work toward success. We have created virtual content to help supplement the educational journey for students to practice when no on campus.

---

What are your biggest goals in the next 6 to 12 Months for your business?

Open our Dallas Campus and work toward our stated goal of 100,000 employed graduates in 25,000 different organizations by the end of 2032. We would also like to continue to leverage our VR technology.

---

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging project you worked on and how you overcame any obstacles?

COVID made everything about how we enroll, teach, graduate and help our students gain career opportunities extremely difficult. We were not prepared, particularly as schools that are geared toward hands-on learning. It did however lead to advances in classroom delivery, VR and simulation, meetings and certain other efficiencies in our business. We became more innovative in 3 – 6 months than we probably have been in 20+ years in our industry to ensure the student experience was able to continue.