Quentin Sweeney

I wish people could really see what they could be doing with their lives—and the money they could be making—with just a two-year degree.

Cape Fear Community College Grad

Lead Manufacturing Engineer at GE Aviation

“Being able to look up in the sky and see a jet flying by, knowing it was because of me that that plane is in the air,” Quentin Sweeney confessed, “It’s an overwhelming sense of pride.”

Quentin never dreamed of becoming a machinist. In fact, until he learned about the computer integrated machining program at Cape Fear Community College, Quentin didn’t even know what a machinist was. Now, as lead manufacturing engineer at GE Aviation, he designs, develops and implements manufacturing processes for jet engine components—and can’t imagine a career doing anything else.

He had always been mechanically inclined and enjoyed working with his hands. So after only a semester in his raw materials class, Quentin was hooked. “I made a nut and a bolt—two of the most simple things a manufacturer can make. Taking this raw material and making it actually function together, I just thought it was the coolest thing in the world. It was very rewarding to me.”

Once he completed his degree at Cape Fear, Quentin transferred to East Carolina University for Industrial Engineering and landed a job with GE Aviation, a global leader in the industry. There, Quentin took advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement program to go on and complete his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology at East Carolina University while continuing to work.

Six years later, Quentin has moved up at GE. Now he’s the one looking for qualified people to hire. “Right now, we’re offering jobs for people with a two-year degree and zero years of experience. You could potentially be making over $50,000 a year just starting out,” Quentin said. After seeing the growth potential that’s available in his field firsthand, Quentin is eager to let others know about the amazing opportunities for advancement it could hold for them too.

Let’s find the right path for you.

Answer a few questions to see what your best route to getting hired might be.

Have you completed high school or an equivalent?

Nope. I’ve got a few years left.

Do you want to work toward earning a degree?

Yep.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

That’s because the Career & College Promise program allows you to have duel enrollment, so you can work on both at the same time. And since this program is also tuition free, it’s a real money-saver.

Maybe.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

Nope.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

This type of training combines hands-on learning with related classroom instruction. Apprentices earn money while learning a highly-skilled trade from an employer. State and federal certificates as well as other credentials can also be completed through an apprenticeship.

No.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

Short-term training, sometimes called continuing education, comes in various forms and are all focused on helping you gain the real-world skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. These courses often lead to state licensure or a certificate upon completion.

By preparing me to start a new career.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

Yes. (Or at least, I will soon.)

Are you interested in earning college credit?

Yes, definitely.

Which way do you prefer to learn?

Virtually or physically, being part of a class works for me.

How much time are you willing to spend getting an education?

Two years, tops. I’m trying to get done and get a job ASAP.

Seems like you want the opportunities that come with a degree, but in half the time of a bachelor’s.

Associate degrees are perfect for that. They can give you a big advantage over many non-degree holders in the job market—and open up even more potential positions that were previously out of reach. You’ll have relevant skills employers want in about two years.

I could do four—or more.

Great! Sounds like you plan on using community college as a stepping stone to a four-year university.

Like any associate degree, transfer degrees take about two years to complete—but this one includes general education credits that are easily transferable. It counts the same as having completed two years toward a bachelor’s degree.

I learn best by being hands-on. Just show me how to do it.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

Nope, I don’t need it.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

By preparing me to start a new career.

Looks like your top priority is gaining real-world skills—either through on-the-job learning or continuing education.

Short-term training or an apprenticeship can help you gain the specific skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. Certificates, licensure and other credentials can be completed through these programs via hands-on learning and/or classroom instruction.

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