Gadsden State's Take 5 for National Career and Technical Education Month

Matt Wade is an Industrial Automation student at Gadsden State Community College’s East Broad Street Campus:
What motivated you to go into Industrial Automation ?
“The summer after my first year at GSCC, I got a job at a local hardware store in my hometown of Boaz. After learning my way around the store, I was able to help customers with their everyday needs, but there was one thing I couldn’t quite understand and that was electrical work. I’ve always been a curious person, so I would pick every electrician’s brain who walked into that store. After picking up a few of the basics, I started looking into the electrical department at GSCC. I took a step into the right direction and fell in love with the program and everyone who instructed me.”
Was there a particular person who was a major influence in your life to get you where you are today?
“My parents have always been influential in my life. We’ve never had a lot, but they have always provided the best they can for our family. They were never strict on me, nor did they ever push me in either direction, but they always supported me in every decision I made. They left it up to me to find myself in this world, and with their help I was able to attend GSCC in the first place which led me to my program of study.”
What skills does it take for an individual to be successful in Industrial Automation ?
“Paying attention to detail, knowing how to read schematics, working out a plan before ever starting the work process, being able to troubleshoot quickly to get things back up and running, doing things the right way to prevent future problems, and having a lot of common sense.”
What traits have your Gadsden State technical instructors instilled in you?
“Loving what you do, having a clear mind while working, keeping a good attitude toward your work and the people you work with, going above and beyond your work scale, never settling for ‘good enough,’ always give the extra effort, and keep your priorities in line. I would also like to say that Mr. Mayfield has played a big part in my two years in this program. He believed in me when I came to him saying I was ready to quit the program, he encouraged me to follow my heart when I told him I wanted to be an engineer, and he was always there when I needed someone to talk to or to just hang out with in between classes. He is a big man with an even bigger heart. I never once saw him have a bad day. He always made a point to talk to everyone in the class, not just as an instructor, but as a friend. Whenever I was stressed about what my next move was, he told me to trust in God and everything would fall into place. Well, here I am two years later about to walk across that stage with two degrees. Mr. Mayfield has made the biggest impact on me in this program. I can’t thank him enough for everything he has taught me inside and outside of the classroom.”
Once you graduate from Gadsden State, what are your plans for the future as a professional?
“Once I graduate, I have a job lined up with a local electrician I have spoken with through the hardware store. I am also continuing my education to the next level, electrical engineering. One of the things my instructors taught me was to never settle, and stopping now would be selling myself short of what I can do. I will have one more year of prerequisites for engineering school, then I plan on attending the University of Alabama.”