For Auto Collision student and Boyertown senior, Jamisen Weber, choosing a career path has always meant choosing a career where he can stay active, work with his hands and keep learning. “I can’t work at a desk. I just have too much energy for that,” Jamisen explained. 

When he first applied to BCTC, Jamisen was interested in construction. But after hearing about welding and discovering the hands-on opportunities available through Auto Collision, he decided to give the program a try. Before long, he found himself enjoying the work and decided to stay focused on Auto Collision rather than switching programs during his second year. “I wanted to get all the certifications I could in one class,” he said. “Just so I could get as far as I could in one specific thing.” 

That focused approach has paid off, and Jamisen is now taking his Auto Collision skills beyond the classroom through a co-op experience at Reading Regional Airport. During his summer co-op, Jamisen worked with the airport’s maintenance department. His responsibilities ranged from weeding and mowing to helping renovate a building that was going to be leased. He painted walls, installed baseboards, and gained valuable hands-on construction experience. One of the most memorable parts of the experience was working alongside an experienced contractor, Jamisen said, who taught him a great deal. “I learned a lot from him, and I was happy about that,” he said. 

Rather than viewing the experience as simply a summer job, Jamisen took advantage of every opportunity to learn from the people around him. His previous construction experience working with his mom’s boyfriend, who is also a contractor, gave him another foundation of skills that he can now apply to his Auto Collision training. 

This school year, Jamisen will continue his co-op at the airport four days a week, spending Mondays at BCTC and Tuesdays through Fridays at the airport. This time, his responsibilities will be more closely connected to his Auto Collision training. One of his upcoming projects will be building a paint booth and working on trucks, including repairing and painting cab corners. He will also repair and paint some of the runners used to move aircraft in and out of the airport hangars. 

For Jamisen, it is an ideal combination of his interests and experiences—Auto Collision, welding, construction, and the opportunity to learn from skilled professionals. “I also love watching the planes fly in and land,” he said with a laugh. 

Jamisen’s journey demonstrates the value of staying open to new opportunities. What started as an interest in construction led him to Auto Collision, where he has built a strong foundation of skills and certifications. His co-op experience has added another layer, allowing him to learn from experienced workers and apply what he has learned in new and unexpected ways. 

Whether he is repairing a truck, building a paint booth or helping keep an airport running smoothly, Jamisen is proving that a hands-on education can open the door to a wide range of possibilities—and he is ready to keep building on the skills he has gained at BCTC.