Two-time CATEC graduate Kenley Woods is wrapping up another academic adventure this January at Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. Woods has been studying Maritime Engineering as one of 60 cadets accepted for the 2019-2020 year, and one of only 24 students studying engineering. He has been learning how to efficiently operate and maintain ship engines and support ship machinery. Woods is getting his Coast Guard license and will leave the program for the in-demand maritime industry as a highly credentialed and experienced engineer.
He has attributed much of his success to his accomplishments at CATEC. Along with his application, Woods had an in-person interview with admissions officers in Michigan in 2019. Woods said he “realized how much CATEC had done for me” when the admissions offer said “you are only 18 and you are a firefighter and EMT.” He said CATEC was a “rock in my life” up to that point because it provided real-world training for real-world certifications.
Woods first graduated from CATEC in 2018 when he completed the Emergency Medical Technician program. He returned for the 2018-2019 school year to take CATEC’s Firefighting course and was a volunteer firefighter in Charlottesville. He graduated from the program in 2019, receiving his Virginia Fire I and II certifications. He earned 24 college credits as a dual-enrolled student at CATEC, which helped garner acceptance at Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
Congratulations, Kenley!