CWI: The students
From high school dual-credit students to single parents searching for a new career, the College of Western Idaho serves 30,000 students from diverse backgrounds. Some look to save on tuition, while others pursue vocational training or come to learn English and build community. Here are the stories of six students who utilized the different opportunities offered by CWI.
Jory Skidmore
Age: 35
Field of study: Two-year Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC) in welding and metals fabrication.
Reason for choosing CWI: Proximity, affordability
Hobbies: Spending time with his dogs, going to the shooting range
Jory Skidmore didn’t see himself as college material, so after high school he spent more than 16 years in the workforce. Then, while unloading boxes at Amazon in Nampa with a clear view of the College of Western Idaho campus, he decided he wanted something more.
“I’ve been working for a long time for not a lot of money,” said Skidmore, who is 35 years old. “I want to do something that I feel better about at the end of my workday.”
He started CWI’s two-year Intermediate Technical Certificate (ITC) in welding and metals fabrication in the summer of 2023.
Why welding?
“You could call it just flipping a coin,” Skidmore said, laughing. “Everyone says you can make lots of money welding.”
But that was about all he knew about it.
Skidmore paid for the program with some savings he was “just kind of sitting on.”
Monday through Friday, Skidmore goes to school full time, with four hours in the welding lab each day. He still works at Amazon on the weekends.
The welding program serves 70 to 80 students each year. It is one of the most in-demand Career Technical Education programs at CWI, with several students waitlisted each semester.
CWI’s Top 5 CTE Programs (by number of graduates):
- Medical Assistant
- Maintenance and Light repair
- Automotive Technology
- Welding and Metals Fabrication
- Advanced Mechanics Engineering Technology
CWI’s Top 5 Workforce Development Programs (by number of students enrolled):
- Electrical Apprenticeship
- HVAC Apprenticeship
- Plumbing Apprenticeship
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
CWI instructor Mike Wheeler said “every one of our students who wants a job can go out and get a job.”
Not all students have savings to use like Skidmore. Wheeler said students who have to work full time through the program can struggle.
“Most of my students are working at least 30 hours a week outside of school. So, most of my students are full-time students, but also trying to work full time as well,” Wheeler said.
CWI aims for flexibility in these situations, looking for ways to allow students to get paid experience welding while also taking classes. Skidmore also encouraged interested students to apply for the school’s many scholarships.
Skidmore plans to finish his welding certificate in December and then start working at a manufacturing company in Nampa.
CWI: The students
From high school dual-credit students to single parents searching for a new career, the College of Western Idaho serves 30,000 students from diverse backgrounds. Some look to save on tuition, while others pursue vocational training or come to learn English and build community. Here are the stories of six students who utilized the different opportunities offered by CWI.
