Nicholas Christian Young: Taking Advantage of Career Training While in High School
Nicholas Young has a mechanical mindset.
Naturally, he has the ability to understand machines and how they work, a skill that has been nurtured and molded at Cumberland Polytechnic High School.
Cumberland Polytechnic High School is a small, serene high school located on the top floor of the Neil A. Curry Building on the campus of Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). As a Cooperative Innovative High School, it attracts students who are dedicated to pursuing diplomas, licenses, certificates, and associate degrees that lead to college transfer and job market skills.
Nicholas is dually enrolled in the automotive pathway. He has thrived in the automotive program, where he serves as a role model for his high school peers and other college students. Nicholas will graduate this May with his high school diploma and an associate’s degree from FTCC. He has also earned multiple certifications, that includes basic electricity, brakes, advanced electricity and HVAC, all things he can add to his resume as he pursues a future career.
Recently, Nicholas's mother was hospitalized, and despite all that was going on in his personal life, he maintained his grades. He demonstrated a high level of responsibility and commitment to school by communicating with his instructors and staying on top of his assignments, all while caring for his mother.
“Nicholas is a kind and compassionate student who has a passion for automotive technology,” said Niesha Witherspoon, principal at Cumberland Polytechnic. “Nicholas has matured as a student and has made significant progress academically and in his sense of responsibility. He holds himself accountable and strives to be great.”
In his free time, Nicholas enjoys riding dirt bikes and ATVs and working on them, using that mechanical mindset and some discipline and patience to figure things out—he loves to put things back together and see them work. He also loves being outdoors.
“I enjoy getting my hands dirty and learning new things when I start new projects,” Nicholas said. “It helps me understand how things work mechanically and prepares me for the future. I also love the adrenaline I get from riding and being able to go fast over obstacles on the trails and compete with my friends. It also allows us to get together, talk about life, and just have a good time.”
Nicholas is passionate about his career path and has taken the initiative to learn more about careers in automotive technology. In fact, he has already secured an internship with Vermeer, a heavy equipment company. He hopes to enjoy a long career within the industries of automotive, heavy equipment or landscaping.
“I feel that CCS has prepared me for my future by offering this school as an option and providing multiple career paths through the automotive program I am currently taking,” Nicholas said. “This has allowed me to learn many valuable lessons, meet a lot of people with different stories and experiences and overall, grow toward becoming successful in the field I want to pursue.”