Like most high school graduates, Carter Terysen wasn’t sure what the future might hold after he graduated from Honesdale High School in 2018. Two years later, after obtaining his associate degree in Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Technology from Johnson College, Carter has discovered that his career is quickly headed in the right direction.
The day after his last class at Johnson on May 8, Carter learned he was hired as a carpenter at Dakan Enterprises in Honesdale, Pa. He has been working at Dakan for several weeks and loves his new job. In addition to his own initiative and hard work, Carter credits the education and skills he obtained at Johnson for helping him obtain a great job in a field he loves.
Carter, who placed first in Skills USA College Division carpentry competition, particularly credits Todd Campbell ’82, director of Johnson’s Carpentry and Cabinetmaking Technology program for helping him refine his craft.
“Mr. Campbell was absolutely great. I’m using so much of what he taught me every single day. My supervisors were really impressed with how much I knew even though I’m just starting out,” he said.
“Carter was really a great student and it’s a pleasure to see him succeed,” Todd said. “He’s dedicated and extremely hard working.”
While jobs in many professions are difficult to find in the wake of COVID 19 pandemic, recent Johnson graduates such as Carter are taking advantage of the essential skills they have learned. Many are finding jobs in a variety fields such as manufacturing, electronics, welding, health sciences, and more, that are critical to the regional and national economy.
“I’m really glad I went to Johnson after high school. I feel like I’m in a great place in my life right now and I’m looking forward to the future,” Carter said.