Graduate Spotlight - Calvin Johnson
posted on Monday, October 9, 2023 in
Alumni Profiles
In 2010, Calvin Johnson left his home in Lexington, Mississippi, and headed north, looking for new opportunities. Family connections brought him to Waterloo, Iowa.
“My uncle worked for John Deere,” Johnson said. “He was at John Deere for 30-plus years before he retired.”
Before coming to Iowa, Johnson worked as a groundskeeper. His father worked in maintenance, and Johnson can remember following him around on the job and sometimes helping out.
“That’s what made me want to follow in his footsteps,” he said.
Johnson first connected with members of Hawkeye’s workforce development team to find out what it would take not just to find a new job, but to develop a new career. After consultation with career pathway navigators, he decided to enroll in the Industrial Maintenance program.
While Johnson had some previous training as a welder, he wasn’t experienced in the electrical side of maintenance. The program gave him knowledge and hands-on practice with hydraulic and pneumatic fluid power, programmable logic controllers, single- and three-phase motor controls, and more.
Now a graduate of the Industrial Maintenance program, Johnson feels an immense sense of pride. His family is proud of him, too, and together, they are excited about where his new career path will take him. His advice to others looking for a new direction: Never give up.
“Pay attention, be a leader, and never be afraid to ask questions,” he said. “Just be the best you can be.”
Tags
- Industrial Maintenance