“At first I didn’t know if I could do it,“ said Donald Kenneda. “But I did it.”
Donald and his son Justin recently completed New River Community and Technical College’s Electric Distribution Engineering Technology program, along with 30 other students including another father and son.
“The first three weeks are the most challenging,” said Visiting Instructional Specialist of Line Service Mechanic Mike King. “If you can make it through the first three weeks, you can make it through the program.”
Donald and Justin were able to encourage each other and do homework together, and Donald’s past experience helped him retrain. Donald had worked in the mining industry for over ten years and learned about New River CTC’s accelerated EDET program through the unemployment office and UMWA.
“I’ve been interviewing for jobs, and now, Justin can get started in a good job, too,” said Donald.