Recent Wylie graduate Brady Gay hit the ground running after graduating last May. With his CTE (Career and Technical Education) experience in plumbing and the support of another Wylie alumnus, Gay is on his way to reaching his goals.
Growing up, Gay invested much of his time on the baseball diamond, even helping the Bulldogs go deep into the playoffs before graduating last May. However, during his sophomore year he realized how much he enjoyed his CTE classes, especially plumbing. It was then that he saw longevity in the industry
“I took principles of construction and liked it. Then I took electrical and then plumbing,” said Gay. “I found success early on with plumbing. I thought, ‘Man, this is my gig!’”
Which shouldn’t be too surprising, as Gay will be the third generation to take-up the plumbing trade on his father’s side of the family.
Gay said the plumbing class he took at Wylie provided an environment that challenged him and required hands-on problem-solving. Now, he attends Texas State Technical College (TSTC) to earn his associates in Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology, which is a 20-month long program. Gay spoke highly of TSTC’s commitment to seeing their students succeed, calling the environment a “gamechanger”.
Additionally, Gay began working part-time at Olsen Services last June. The training and mentoring owner and Wylie alum Riley Olsen provides are priceless to Gay, citing the work environment Olsen cultivates as one that inspires him to want to do his best. “I love coming to work and want to work hard for him,” said Gay.
Gay encourages others who are unsure where their future lies to consider taking a CTE class while in high school as well as reaching out to professionals in the community to work or shadow them for a few days, even reaching out to family members or friends who work in that specialty.
“Experiment by doing some side-work for a day or two,” he said. He believes experience is important to see if the industry is a good fit but also suggests looking past the daily tasks and how one can make an impact.
“I am really inspired by making connections within the community,” said Gay. “A major role in choosing a trade had to do with community – growing the trade, making a name for us and caring about our job.”
Wylie Magazine wishes Brady the best of luck in his future endeavors of becoming a plumbing pro and owner and operator of his company for commercial and residential plumbing services. You’re off to a great start!
By Kristen Johnson