Whitko Career Academy student Jayce Lee has been working at Shambaugh & Sons and is also working toward completing a five-year pipe-fitting apprenticeship. Photo provided by Whitko Career Academy.

News Release

SOUTH WHITLEY — Jayce Lee, a student at Whitko Junior Senior High School, works at Shambaugh & Sons through the Whitko Career Academy’s Work-Based Learning program.

He has discovered that he looks forward to going to work.

“I love having a job where I don’t dread going to work,” said Jayce. “The workplace environment is very optimistic, and that’s something I truly appreciate.”

What sets his job apart from others is the diverse range of projects Shambaugh & Sons takes on, from constructing steel mills to building baby formula plants. The broad scope of work gives him the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in different industries and contribute to projects that have a real-world impact.

Currently, he is working toward completing a five-year pipe-fitting apprenticeship with Local 166 in Fort Wayne.

“This job directly gets my foot in the door by building healthy relationships with the union’s representatives,” Jayce said. “It also helps by familiarizing myself with the environment that I will be working in during my apprenticeship. It’s a great opportunity to learn on the job.”

Jayce hopes his focus on both his personal development and the success of his team positions him for a long and fulfilling career in the trades. His apprenticeship with Local 166 is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey in the skilled trades industry.