Ranken Technical College

Kody Zedolek graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science from Ranken’s Architectural Technology program. Kody’s course of study included intensive building design projects, and he remembers the atmosphere of mutual support, recalling “nights spent working in the studio to meet deadlines with my friends. Architecture students can accomplish anything, given [enough] pizza, energy drinks, and a projector to watch The Godfather on.” “He was always eager to do more than the basic requirements of a project,” says Architecture Department Chair Kelley Raftery. “Kody was a team leader and respected by his classmates.” Kody started to apply his skills in real-world settings almost immediately. Working for Ranken’s Buildings & Grounds dept from his 2nd semester, he later participated in a 3-semester internship with HOK, the prestigious architectural design firm based in St. Louis. After graduation, Kody became part of the Architectural Staff at The Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), a su...

Ermin Velagic graduated in 2020 with an Associate Degree in Network and Database Administration. He immediately took a position with TekSystems. Last winter, Ermin joined IMPACT Strategies, a full-service commercial builder as a Computer Support Specialist. Ermin tells us his parents emigrated to the United States “seeking a better life,” making him a first-generation college graduate. His academic journey faced serious challenges. Ermin and his fiancé both worked full-time while he attended classes at Ranken to build a more secure future. While juggling this schedule, he distinctly remembers the support he received from Ranken IT faculty member Ashley Reddick, who spent many hours before and after class mentoring and motivating him to pass demanding certification exams. In a personal letter to Mr. Reddick, Ermin’s emotions were clear, “[You] created a never-forgetting impact I will carry with my heart and soul heavily for as long as I will be able to remember it.” Mr. Reddick says, ...

A majority of Ranken students are from Greater St. Louis, but the College’s reach is far wider, with young men and women attending from throughout the Midwest. One such student is Chazzerene ‘Chazz’ Howard, who left her hometown in western Tennessee to enroll in the Collision Repair Technology degree program. She was one of Ranken’s first students to take part in our new Collision Engineering model, alternating 8-weeks of instruction with 8-weeks of paid work experience at a local shop. Chazz immediately impressed her instructors. Collision Repair Department Chair and faculty member John Helterbrand explains, “I was struck by her self-motivation and the way she was ‘super-focused’ on her education. Anything she did, got her full effort. While building her technical skills, Chazz’s character and work ethic shone through.” Chazz is equally appreciative of her Ranken experience, telling us the college “had a huge impact on both my life and career path. It has allowed me to reach far beyo...

  Tyler Wagner is a 2020 graduate of Ranken’s Automotive Collision Repair program. He says, “Ranken was a great hands-on education that allowed me to get a jump start in my career.” While pursuing his degree, Tyler competed in the Auto Refinishing contest at the 2020 SkillsUSA District Championship where he took 1st place. One of his instructors, Tim Green, Auto Collision instructor remembers Tyler being a great asset and enjoyed having in class. He explained, on days when I can’t get around the shop fast enough, students sometime step up to assist fellow students with questions and give them direction. “Tyler was one of those students and he was good at it because he had experience. His classmates became close knit; everyone got the support they needed when struggling with new tasks. When you have a student like Tyler, his desire to encourage others and help them succeed benefits the class and me as an instructor. I know he’ll be a great mentor to future Ranken collision apprenti...

Ranken’s Electrical Systems Design Technology program provides hands-on training using Computer-Aided Drafting, Building Information Modeling, and REVIT software to design electrical wiring, industrial controls, circuitry, machinery, and power distribution to create intelligent 3D models to produce construction documentation for large-scale projects. Zippia.com, the career expert, reports finding a job with an electrical design engineering degree will not be an issue. Working in one of the many branches of this profession, you can earn between $65,000 to $110,000 a year, and job opportunities are expected to grow 2% by 2028. Nathaniel Turner graduated from the Electrical Systems Design Technology program in May 2013. He is an electrical designer in the Physical Department at Sargent & Lundy in Chicago, IL. Nathaniel creates blueprints and schematics, showing the physical layout of the equipment. He explains, “My experience at Ranken taught me how to loosen up a bit and how to prope...

  Jay Washington tells us, “Ranken Technical College has opened doors to me that would have been closed. I have had the opportunity to work in safety, through calibrating/repairing gas detection equipment, electronic design by building remote boxes with resistors/diodes, and soldering and electric design and power grid development and growth.” Jay’s career soared after graduating from Ranken’s Electronics Engineering Technology program in 2004. He now holds the position of Energy Services Consultant for Ameren Missouri. “Jay is a pleasure to work with,” says Tim Callahan, Supervisor Distribution Services, Gateway Division, Ameren Missouri. “We serve in a fast-paced environment that requires a lot of customer interaction. While this can be challenging, Jay is very responsive to both our external customers and internal customers (such as our construction supervisors and our call center employees). Jay takes pride in his work, doing everything in his power to make sure projects go smo...

  According to Indeed.com , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for software developers, which includes software engineers, is going to grow 22%, substantially faster than the 4% average for all careers. There are several reasons driving the high demand for software engineers: the need for innovative software, the limited life span of code, the accelerating growth in technology, and increasing complexity of projects. The earning potential for these careers is very lucrative. Bill Kindig is a software engineer for National General Insurance in a full-time permanent position that started with a contract. His primary role is .NET Core MVC C# developer. Bill has been at the company since 2019. His technical experience includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript/jQuery, consuming APIs, C#, SQL and working with XML and JSON data. Bill graduated in 2013 with an Associate Degree in Internet Web Based Technology. Evan Gudmestad, IT Assistant Division Chair explains, “Bill was ...

  Abigail Pritchard was drawn to the craft of carpentry - the ability to apply knowledge and skill to fashion useful items and structures from raw materials. She graduated from Ranken Technical College with an Associate Degree in Carpentry and Building Construction Technology in May 2020. Abby thrived in the program. Carpentry instructor John Davis noted her reliability and the fact she “always jumped in to help out.” In her second year, she especially enjoyed the ability to work on actual construction projects on properties owned by the Ranken Community Development Corporation (RCDC). “After learning the basics of carpentry and construction, my transition into an apprenticeship was as smooth as it could be,” Abigail tells us. Among her favorite memories is the day she helped install the roof trusses. “It was very satisfying seeing our house get one step closer to being closed off from the elements.” Not long after graduation Abigail established herself on the west coast in Seattle...

Prior to the Covid pandemic, the construction business was booming. Like other industries, the epidemic has had a negative impact on workforce and supply chain issues. Infrastructure projects rely on public funding and the economic health of the nation. The Civil Quarterly, published by Dodge Data & Analytics, states the Commercial Construction Index, that gauges the strength of the industry, plummeted from 74 to 55 between the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2020. Times like this, when furloughs and layoffs occur, call for ingenuity and persistence. Daniel Otten possesses those very qualities. He began his career doing foundation, plumbing, and masonry work, then pursued electrical technology at Lincoln Tech in Indiana. Daniel joined the Navy in 2012, serving until 2016. As an aviation structural mechanic 3rd class, he worked on the MH-60 Sierra Helicopter and served on three aircraft carriers during training maneuvers. Daniel utilized the G.I. Bill to attend Ranken. “Ranken has given me t...

Tonisha Harvey graduated from Ranken’s Electrical Automation Technology program in May 2020. She will complete her BS in Applied Management in 2021. “Having my degree in Electrical Automation, I was able to bypass the training process necessary to become a maintenance helper. I am currently a maintenance technician apprentice at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (ABB), a 2-year program,” explains Tonisha. “I’m the 1st set of eyes on any machine or press, so I find problems early on, ensuring the machines are properly oiled and lubricated. I assist the maintenance team, coordinate weekly orders, and operate all moving vehicles at ABB including forklifts, scissor lifts, and boom trucks.” Highly motivated students are in great demand in industry; Ranken faculty are proud to recommend these high performers. Nick Weatherly, electrical instructor, says “Tonisha was a student of mine. She impressed me with her dogged determination, work ethic, and initiative. At just over 4 feet tall and less than 100 p...