Brandon Piersol

 

Go for it. Don't be scard of it. Education is never a bad thing. CCC is a wonderful place to earn a degree.

 

Brandon Piersol first began welding while serving a tour of duty for the U.S. Army in Iraq. He was a welder in the maintenance platoon from 2005 to 2006, and two years later, he was dispatched to Africa to assist in the building of gated communities for schools. Upon retiring from the military in 2015, Piersol went to work for Schroeder Machine shop in Shelton.

Born in North Platte and raise in Lincoln, Piersol holds two degrees from Central Community College. He first graduated with an associate of science degree in welding technology in 2018. While he earned his degree, he worked as a welding lab assistant before moving to an adjunct instructor the next year. Then in 2020, Piersol was named a full-time welding technology instructor.

While instructing full-time, Piersol pursued a steel drafting degree at CCC by taking one or two courses each semester. He said the combination of working full-time and pursuing a degree part-time was quite a test of his time management skills, but he persisted and graduated in May 2023. Piersol said given his experience as a nontraditional student, he wants people who might be hesitant to return to school to know that if he can do it, so can they.

“Go for it. Don’t be scared of it,” said Piersol. “Education is never a bad thing. CCC is a wonderful place to earn a degree. Don’t hesitate. It will work out in the end.”

Piersol said he enjoys working at CCC and watching the students go out into the world and have a great future.

“Someone is putting their trust in me to help them learn a skill or trade that will support their families for years to come,” Piersol said. “I can’t think of a more important or rewarding responsibility.”