Todd Baker | Truck Technician

I always liked working with my hands, and I did a lot of research on trade and technical careers. Diesel truck technician stood out to me because it offers a very good wage, and the diesel industry has a large shortage of technicians, so job opportunities would be abundant. I currently work full time at 45-55 hours per week, while going to school full time. I’m learning as much as possible and advancing my career and knowledge along the way. The highlight of my time at Saint Paul College was when I was named the Truck Technician Outstanding Student. I am in my fourth and final semester at Saint Paul College. I will graduate in May 2019, and I plan on continuing working full time at a well-known truck company as I have been for the last year and a half.

"I chose Saint Paul College because it was the closest technical college that offered a diesel program, with a good reputation and is well priced."

Tatianna Malot | Pharmacy Technician

I am a pharmacy technician student at Saint Paul College, born in Cameroon and am 22 years old. I had always loved business studies but seeing how many people suffer or die because they didn’t know about the drugs they take or how bad an overdose is, I decided to be one of the few people in the world who will educate and help others understand what they take in as drugs. This College is one of hard work, with dedicated staff who will go to any length to see to it that all their students succeed. It has well-equipped classrooms, laboratories, computer labs, and library to help facilitate studies for everyone. I had to be hardworking, very organized, and participate in all lessons to be successful and get to where I am. I plan on graduating by May 2020. After graduation, I plan on working and coming back to take some courses to transfer to a university to study and become a pharmacist.

"This is a noble profession that I know will give me job and self-satisfaction."

Pedro Reed | CNC Toolmaking

I am a PSEO student and will be graduating from high school and Saint Paul College at the same time. I plan to eventually become an engineer. CNC toolmakers often work in close proximity with engineers. I currently am a toolmaker and a gun driller in training. I put molds together, and I take them apart. I also drill long pipelines in the molds so that they don’t overheat. The best part of my classes at Saint Paul College has been the people I have met. I worked with guys who were old enough to be my dad, but because they were my classmates, I learned about good work ethic and how to advance in a job without feeling like I was being parented. I learned about the trade I was involved in, but because of my classmates, I also learned a lot about life and how to not mess it up.

"I chose Saint Paul College because a friend, who had gone through the exact same process I had, had recommended it as the best school for CNC."

Iris Rohrer | Clinical Sports Massage

I graduated from the Massage Therapy Certificate program last year. I have been working as a massage therapist at a well-known studio for pro and elite athletes of all levels, and anyone who is wanting to progress in their fitness and health goals. I am completing my AAS degree in Clinical Sports Massage, graduating in May 2019. I wanted the time I spent perfecting my technique to be worth my time as my dream is to work with high-end athletes, along with helping my clients recover from injuries. Thanks to the support of this community, I have been able to meet and exceed every goal I set for myself. I am grateful for each of my instructors​ and for the great times I’ve had learning with other students! Education is important to me; I will keep working while pursuing opportunities to further my education.

"I wanted an exceptional experience, so I asked professionals who I trust if they could recommend the massage program at Saint Paul College. My experience at the College has been fantastic!"

Voua Thao | Associate of Fine Arts - Music

I wanted to start a career in music production, but I felt that I did not have enough musical knowledge to jump right into it, so I looked around for colleges in the Twin Cities that would help me learn more about music, and Saint Paul College caught my eye. The tuition price, along with the location, was ideal for me to be able to work and go to school at the same time, so I took the leap of faith and well, here I am. I could always go to my instructors with any questions I may have about my assignments and they would gladly answer them. They were not only instructors to me, I felt that they were genuine friends and role-models and I honestly could not have done this without them. I will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the Fall. After, I want to pursue a masters and perhaps I see a doctorate in my future.

"I will say that the instructors I have studied under are some of the best I have ever been around. They have been nothing but helpful."

Tonshionna Tillman | Cosmetology

I love being creative and switching up my look from time to time, so I decided to choose a career where I can do both - take care of myself and others. I came to Saint Paul College right after high school because of the Power of YOU program, it’s closer to home and tuition is cheaper for the field that I am in. So far, the highlight of the program has been all of the classes we had to take in order to do services on clients. The classes are skin, haircutting, styling, perming and coloring hair. I’ve learned a lot from the classes and grew as an artist by learning from my mistakes. After graduating in 2020, I will work on getting licensed as a cosmetologist and eventually further my education in business management. I want to own my own business with hair products and accessories so people can wear them to protect their styles or enhance them.​

"I chose cosmetology because I love enhancing people’s beauty even if they don’t notice it themselves."