Kolin William Ferneau

Inspired by the birth of his daughter, Abigail, and tired of struggling to get by for several years with minimum wage and temporary jobs, Kolin William Ferneau knew he needed an education in order to succeed and have a good life. He decided to go to Iowa Valley Education and Training Center (Tama County) and three and a half weeks later, on October 30, 2015, he completed the High School Equivalency Diploma (HiSED) Program. “It was the most amazing feeling of accomplishment, knowing that my hard work and decision were on their way,” Ferneau said. “My instructor helped my stride with a very kind push, just the boost I needed.”

“I admire Kolin’s determination. He studied every day, even spending more than the required 3 hours per day,” states instructor Ricarda Drummer. “He is smart. He would ask questions and would argue until he was satisfied with the explanation.”

Ferneau immediately enrolled at Marshalltown Community College (Industry and Trades) Welding Course in Marshalltown. Ferneau said, “I graduated top welder of my class one year to the day after my HiSED graduation. I had a 3.23 GPA, which I believe isn’t bad for a 9th grade drop-out.”

“Within a year and two months, I now have a home, a very nice vehicle, and a little better feeling about myself. I currently work for CEI Equipment Company in Cedar Rapids, welding parts for our products, a broad range of aluminum feed transportation equipment. I still have a long journey ahead of me but the accomplishments along the way, make it worth to have,” states Ferneau.

“Kolin was a standout student who demonstrated it’s possible to balance school and family life. He’s the perfect example of what programs like PACE are for,” said Jennifer Rice. Rice is the Pathway Navigator for the PACE Program (Pathways for Academic Career Employment) at Iowa Valley Continuing Education, who assist participants on their educational journey. She works with participants to identify barriers to success and works with them to minimize those barriers by connecting the students to the appropriate community resources. The Pathway Navigator also works with individuals to access available funding to assist with the cost of education.

Asked what his plans are in the near future, Ferneau said that he also wants to be a Certified Electrician.