“I followed my passion- it feels good to achieve what you strive for,” said Tony Chappell.
In February, Tony Chappell earned his Welding Certificate from the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. Tony Chappell worked full time at Oxford Car and Truck while attending SVHEC.
After receiving his Welding Certificate, Chappell was hired as a full-time employee at Huber Engineered Woods.
When Tony was a kid, he helped his Uncle Thomas Chappell pull the transmission out of a car. This sparked his motivation for wanting to learn about car engines.
“I’ve been turning wrenches since I was eleven years old,” said Tony Chappell adding “I’m a mechanic, that’s what I like to do.
Chappell will be celebrating his 50th birthday this fall and is thrilled to still have the opportunity to follow his dreams. He acknowledged his appreciation for being a recipient of the Dr. W. J. Ferguson Scholarship awarded by the FOUNDATION in the fall of 2021.
“Even an old dog can learn new tricks, and I learned a lot,” said Chappell, who was the oldest student in his class.
While Chappell is thrilled with his position at Huber Engineered Woods, one day he is in hopes of operating his own Auto Mechanic Shop.
The SVHEC Welding Program began five years ago. Welding Lead Instructor, Geoff Vaughan (pictured at right in photo) is also a graduate of the Welding Program.