Joshua Girardi knew he wanted to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) to advance his career as a welder and transition into leadership and engineering roles. That’s when he found ECPI University Online, which he chose because of the flexibility he needed while working and going to school full time.
Despite the demanding nature of his job, often exceeding 40 hours a week, Joshua adeptly balanced his professional responsibilities with the structured coursework at ECPI. Completing his MET degree allowed Josh to move from welding to a production planner at his company, VT Group. In his new role, he orders materials, 3D modeling assemblies, and makes part layouts/programs for CNC machines such as mills, lathe, laser, punch press and press brake. "I do the planning for the type of jobs I used to be welding on the shop floor," Joshua said.
Reflecting on his experience, Joshua advises ECPI students to leverage available resources and complete assignments promptly. "All it takes is some hard work and determination to unlock career potential," he said.
Congratulations to Joshua for earning his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology in 2023 from ECPI University- Online!