July 2, 2025 Jarod VanNorman found the Water to Work internship program at a low point in his life. Now he’s employed, excited and ready to pay it forward. Jarod, like so many young adults, struggled to find a great career fit. “I dropped out of college because it wasn’t right for me,” VanNorman said. “I was working at a gas station, in a rut, thinking that this was my life and there wasn’t going to be anything else.” Fortunately for him and the City of Grand Rapids, that was not true. “My mom got a flyer about the Water to Work program,” VanNorman said. “I went to a meeting to check it out and realized this was my chance to do something different. So I took it.” Jarod started his internship in August 2024 and the work immediately grabbed his interest. “I’ve always worked in customer service-type jobs,” VanNorman said. “This was a world I knew nothing about. Everything fascinated me!” That included the mentorship component of the program, which was a totally new experience for Jarod. Hillary Caron, Water Education & Programs Coordinator for the City of Grand Rapids, says that the mentorship component is part of helping people find a way to be authentic and contribute their best. “The interns get to choose their mentors during a ‘speed dating’ type of event,” Caron said. “The mentors are in it to build relationships and make a connection for people who are entering a new industry. We want to create an environment where people feel like they can contribute and belong. It’s fun to see that many of the relationships created early on are still thriving.” Jarod chose veteran electrician Rob Scarbrough as his mentor. As someone who was an apprentice in the trades himself, Rob knows exactly how important this role is for a person who’s new to an industry. “I was fortunate enough to have good mentors in my life growing up,” Scarbrough said. “I enjoy working with apprentices, and thought the interns would offer a similar experience. They’re green as grass, but the good ones are moldable. They can learn to see the work as a career. Jarod is one of those good ones.” Jarod felt like he connected immediately with Rob. “I was going through some tough stuff at the time,” VanNorman said. “Rob seemed to genuinely care about my life outside of work as well as inside. It was nice to have someone to talk to, someone who was always in my corner. He also gave me great career advice. In fact, he’s the reason I have the job I do today.” Rob says Jarod is a great example of the kind of person this program can attract. “As Jarod was going through the program, he thought that being a field operator would fit his skills. I had a friend in that role, so I connected the two of them. Jarod is a hard worker and this was a perfect fit.” It didn’t take long for that dedication to earn Jarod a job offer with the City of Grand Rapids. In March 2025, he took on a full-time role as a utility field operator after only eight months of internship. “This is a huge blessing in my life,” VanNorman said. “I love everything about it. Not only did I get through the entire internship process without debt, I also found a job I really enjoy. I have no regrets. I’m so grateful to Rob for getting me this opportunity.” Rob is quick to diminish his role. “I only get 2% credit,” Scarbrough said. “All I did is make a connection. Jarod earned this job. But it’s awesome for me to see that he’s happy and doing a great job. Being part of a team changes lives. Jarod went from not knowing what he wanted to do, to finding a great career. The sky is the limit for him.” Now that he has experienced the mentor relationship, Jarod is eager to pay it forward. “This is the first time in my life I’ve felt like I’m doing something for other people and not just for myself,” VanNorman said. “If I could help just one person find the same joy I’ve found, then that would make a huge difference. I want to be that person for someone else.” The next cohort of the Water to Work program begins the week of August 25.  There is an information session on July 8 for prospective applicants to ask questions and learn more. The application process opened June 2 and will close July 15. Anyone over the age of 18 with a high school diploma or GED can apply. Applicants must also pass a background check and have reliable transportation to get them to the various water treatment facilities. Students work Tuesday through Thursday as paid interns at both the City of Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Filtration Plant and the Water Resource Recovery Facility. They also take classes to supplement their hands-on learning, with the course fees and tuition covered by the EPA grant. According to Hillary, success is easy to measure. “All 15 people who have come into the program now have jobs in the industry,” Caron said. “Just like Jarod, most students have jobs before completing all 52 weeks of the official program.” Jarod knows now that life is what you make of it. “I started from a flyer and a chance,” VanNorman said. “You have to be willing to put yourself out there with new experiences if you want a better outcome.”  Learn more about the Water to Work program and apply . Article reported by Julie Hordyk  

July 1, 2025 Aiden Solis, a Grand Rapids native, graduated high school and immediately entered the workforce, deciding college wasn’t for him. For several years, Solis did what he could to find meaningful work that would support him and his family. As those opportunities became fewer and farther between, he realized something needed to change.  “I went to the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan literally looking for a job. I was really broke and I needed some money. I needed help finding a job,” said Solis. “We filled out some applications on Indeed and then they asked if I’ve seen the workforce classes at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC). I always thought college was a scam, so I had to stop and think about it for a second.”  After graduating high school, Solis believed college was only for those who had money set aside for tuition. He didn’t want to take on student debt or invest time into learning a skill that might not immediately lead to a job. He thought he needed an instant solution to support himself and his family.    “While I was applying for jobs I said why not, I want to learn a new skill if it means I might find a good job. I hadn’t been able to find anything sustainable with the path I was currently on,” said Solis. “So, I applied for the Metallica Scholars Welding Bootcamp and a couple of months later, the Hispanic Center called me and let me know the class was starting. Now I’m here, even though I was really nervous to start, and I’m about to earn my certificate.”  The Metallica Scholars Welding Bootcamp is offered through GRCC’s workforce training program. Over the course of three months, students meet weekly to earn their certificate in welding. The program also teaches critical job-seeking skills, such as resumé development, to help students become job-ready immediately after completing the course.  Solis began the bootcamp with no prior welding experience. Aside from watching a few TikTok videos, he was unfamiliar with the welding process and all it entailed. The Hispanic Center shared the program’s benefits: earning a certificate by the end of the program and gaining immediate hire ability in the welding industry. Solis knew it was his answer to the job search.  “This program has given me the confidence that I can do more than I thought I could,” said Solis.  When Solis heard the program was sponsored by All Within My Hands, a nonprofit founded by the heavy metal band, Metallica, he was thrilled.  “I know Metallica because I produce music too and I also play Fortnite. So I’ve heard their songs a lot,” said Solis. “Being a musician and knowing how much you pour of yourself into your art makes me even more excited that Metallica helped fund this program. It’s a surreal feeling being in a program sponsored by people who care about the same things I do: music and people. They did this just to help individual people like me have more opportunities. Now I can support my family with a welding job and still work on Itz Namo, my music, thanks to their generosity.”  Solis described his classroom experience as inclusive, encouraging and supportive. “My favorite part about the class was the people because everyone was so helpful. Professor Nick builds a community atmosphere between us all,” said Solis. “Professor Nick and his assistant teacher, Trish, led by example. My first day, I accidentally welded the table. I was so nervous. But they reminded me that we are all learning and we have to start somewhere. I didn’t feel worried after that. Everyone knew we were in this together.” Now, just a few years after high school, Solis finds himself embracing a college experience he once dismissed.  “I want to thank Metallica for funding this program through GRCC,” said Solis. “It changed my life. It now shares both of my passions, music and welding. I always thought college doesn’t really benefit you, but I see a different side of it now. I can support my family now. This changed my mind. I now see how valuable the learning process is and that there are options that everyone can afford.”  Learn more about the Metallica Scholars Welding Bootcamp and the All Within My Hands Foundation . This story was reported by Anjula Caldwell.  

June 26, 2025 It’s probably pretty rare to receive an SOS from an animal that lived 200 million years ago. But in May, GRCC student Paul Kuchnicki answered such a call, and it fueled his passion for paleontology. “I’ve been hyper-focused on dinosaurs since I was a kid,” Kuchnicki said. “I used to watch movies and documentaries about paleontologists and think, ‘I could do that!’” His enthusiasm was put on hold for a bit as Paul struggled to figure out a career direction after high school. “I graduated from high school in 2018 and started to pursue an art degree, but I was not focused and my grades suffered,” Kuchnicki said. “I took a break when COVID hit, and then struggled with a period of depression and loneliness. My mom finally pushed me to go back to school in 2024.”   One of his art professors found out about Paul’s passion for paleontology and was amazed by the art he created around his favorite subject matter, dinosaurs. She encouraged him to switch degrees. “I changed to a geology major and started earning straight As,” Kuchnicki said. “It’s the best decision I ever made. I’m hitting the books hard, and Professor VanRegenmorter has been a huge help. He’s the one who told me about the dig in Utah. I couldn’t be more grateful for that opportunity.” On March 21, 2025, the Salt Lake City Times published a call for volunteers to locate and remove as many fossil remains as they could find in a one-acre quarry just north of St. George’s Dinosaur Discovery Site museum . Volunteers were racing against time because In May, excavation would end so construction of a new electric power substation could begin.   GRCC adjunct professor John VanRegenmorter is also a self-proclaimed “kid who never outgrew dinosaurs.” He signed up to help, and he invited Paul to go with him. Paul paid his own way for this first-ever, hands-on field experience and says it broadened his perspective on the world. “Aside from the dust devils and scorching heat, I loved it!” Kuchnicki said. “I felt like I was traveling back in time and discovering the secrets of an era as I hammered through the earth. You never know what could be in the layers of rock. There’s a slim chance you’ll find something groundbreaking, but my priority was just to discover and be curious. It’s humbling to work with a group of people who are so passionate about preserving the past.” Paul spent a week learning to properly excavate the delicate fossils, and how to apply plaster to chunks of rock containing fossils. The plaster casts reinforced the fossils so they could be safely transported to the nearby fossil lab at St. George Discovery Site Museum where they would be excavated and then studied. He was also able to help out at the Museum, learning how to catalog and curate the fossils for scientific study. “This location has a rich abundance of fossil material,” Kuchnicki said. “We were working at the Moenave Formation that dates back 190 million years ago. It’s an exceptional formation that gives us a faint glimpse of the dinosaurs and how they became a successful group. There are thousands of dinosaur tracks there. The tracks, plus other fossils, show that the whole area was at one time a vast inland lake the size of Lake Erie, with rich biodiversity.” Paul plans to transfer to University of Michigan or Calvin University to pursue a bachelor’s degree — or higher. He would like to be a geology or biology professor, but he’s also exploring paleoart, where science and creativity intersect.   “I’m also interested in paleo-artistry,” Kuchnicki said. “It’s important to make scientifically informed drawings of prehistoric life. Drawings by artificial intelligence stray far from the truth. It’s crucial to communicate and teach through drawings that reflect what we know to be true.” Paul has a simple piece of advice for others who are unsure of their next move. “I don’t think I will be famous, but I’m doing something I love,” Kuchnicki said. “This all stems back to what fascinated me as a kid. If you’re not sure what to do with your life, think like a kid again!” Learn more about GRCC’s Pre-Geology program . Article reported by Julie Hordyk

June 24, 2025 Many people develop their love for hands-on work during their formative childhood years. Jake Nichols is no exception. “My dad worked for Caterpillar doing machine repair,” Nichols said. “It was just a natural thing for me to help him out around the house, learning to fix cars and winterize boats. I thought I could use those skills in a career, so I started working for an automotive company.” Jake quickly learned that this wasn’t exactly the right fit. “I didn’t like doing the same thing every day,” Nichols said. “So I found another job at a company called NN Incorporated. They gave me the chance to earn my journeyman’s certificate. I would work four days, and then attend class on day five. The classroom portion of that work was done at GRCC.” The further education and job change definitely had an impact. “At NN, I felt like I had a purpose and a place. I could be creative and make improvements,” Nichols said. Jake applied the 30 credits of his training that articulated toward a degree, and added general education courses, to complete his A.A.A.S. in Tooling and Manufacturing. He moved on to a new opportunity as production supervisor for another manufacturer. All of these experiences gradually opened more new doors for him. “I found out about an opportunity to teach the same journeyman’s program that I had taken at GRCC,” Nichols said. “I made the leap to education, so now I teach that class along with others as adjunct faculty.”   After his first year of teaching, Jake says it’s awesome to work with students. “These are people who want to learn,” Nichols said. “They get information and run with it. They’re dedicated and focused, which makes the environment a lot less stressful. The students make it great.” Jake also loves the variety and flexibility of his teaching schedule. “I’m teaching five courses, and also doing some hands-on classes for students in the English Learner program. I’ve even taught a course with a Spanish interpreter! I usually teach in the evening, which frees up my time during the day.” He’s making good use of that time as he works to complete his bachelor’s degree in organizational management and leadership through Purdue Global. “I’m happy doing this work,” Nichols said. “Teaching is a breath of fresh air.”  Learn more about the Tooling and Manufacturing A.A.A.S. at GRCC .