Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16CAREERops 12 and 110 pounds, Marine Corporal Airey Albrightson said, “I might struggle with some things on the job, heavy liing, that sort of thing, but that won’t stop me from trying. is program was the very best thing that has ever hap- pened to me. I’m going back home to Oklahoma, and I just feel that Oklahoma is the best place on earth.” Sister Albrightson is a recent graduate of the Camp Lejeune VIP welding program, and the VIP program has solidified her dream of becoming a UA welder in her home state of Oklahoma. Being a Marine was everything Sister Albright- son wanted and imagined. “I will be in four years, and I did one deployment,” she said. “I got lucky with this program. I heard about it through the education center, and the girl I worked with helped me get in from day one.” Prior to joining the Marine Corps, Sister Al- brightson had attended two-and-a-half years of college. She described her decision to join the Marines. “When 9/11 happened, it just had the greatest impact on me,” she said. “I grew up in this country—on this land, our land—and seeing that devastation was just horrible. I just felt I had to do something about it, so I joined the Marine Corps right aer it happened. Everyone in my family was very supportive. ey could see it in my eyes that I needed to do this. In the end, it was everything I thought it would be, and it was everything I wanted it to be and more.” Airey is headed to Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 344 in Oklahoma City, OK. It was her first choice for job place- ment, and she couldn’t be more excited. “is program was the best thing that ever hap- pened to me,” she said. “e instructors were not just there to teach you; they cared about each one of us individually! e support we got going into the testing portion was incredible. I always thought I was mechanically inclined, but once I went through this program, I realized I had a lot to learn. It’s not just welding that they teach; it goes way beyond that. I didn’t really have a lot of knowledge regarding unions and what it would be like to be a union member, but our instructors made sure we understood what it meant to be a UA union member . . . I always wanted to be a welder. I want to own a farm some day. is job will supply me with the security to make that hap- pen for my family. It’s a versatile job. You can do anything and everything with a rod. It’s going to make my dreams come true. I’m already living my dream, and that’s just the truth.” Airey started in Local 344’s apprenticeship pro- gram this past summer. She feels lucky to have found her dream job. At five-foot-two Embracing Her Role as a Pipefitter Welder Airey Albrightson “The instructors were not just there to teach you; they cared about each one of us indi- vidually! The support we got going into the testing portion was incredible. I always thought I was mechanically inclined, but once I went through this program, I realized I had a lot to learn. It’s not just welding that they teach; it goes way beyond that.” – Airey Albrightson