Allow us to introduce you to Noah Wilkinson! Noah moved here from Texas in September of 2022 to begin his college journey with us. Initially drawn to Excel College by the community aspect, he fully embraced the idea of learning to build a life of flourishing, not just a living. 

“People really care about you here, and are going to fight to lift you up. There are people here who have such a strong foundation in the LORD that they can help you build yours, as well.” The community continues to be a part of life here that he doesn’t take for granted after coming from a different type of educational background. “If I didn’t have the community, it’d be easy to be consumed by work and not look outside of myself. Public school felt more like an indoctrination than an education, so when I was out of school I took off my school clothes and was done with school. Here, I’m continually inspired to learn and grow in all aspects of life. The pathway I was on was going into the military for six years in order to get a career, but here I’ve really learned to slow down, see people, and live by values.”

Now knee-deep in Phase 2, which focuses on apprenticeships, he has been working with leading machining manufacturer, AlphaTech Inc, for the last six months for his practicum emphasis (the equivalent of a major) in CNC Machining. His whole life Noah has always dabbled in mechanics, 3D printing, and figuring out how things worked, so going into a practicum track where he gets to implement all of these skills with some of the latest technology in the industry is a dream come true for him! 

In a recent interview, he states that he is, “turning raw material into very precise parts; mostly out of metal. It involves reading in-depth blueprints, understanding characteristics of tools and work pieces, and how they’ll work with a specific material to produce the part needed. By the end of the practicum, the goal is to design and manufacture a part from start to finish. I’ve accomplished the manufacturing aspect, and now I’m working on design.” 

Now enrolled in AlphaTech’s apprenticeship program, Noah’s plan for the future involves fulfilling the six-year program with the company, and coming out of it as a fully certified machinist with his Department of Labor machining license. In his words, “Joe Worley, the owner of Alpha Tech, has been a dream practicum partner for Excel, and has really helped [me] get my footing in the marketplace.” 

Having always loved working with his hands, Noah has been a consistently hard-worker at everything he’s set his mind to. Since coming to Excel, his “why” for doing so has changed. “Coming to Excel helped me understand and put meaning to the things I do.” The curriculum here at Excel gave way to the revelation that everything we do in the physical finds foundation and purpose in God’s goodness and the Gospel. “Before, I would do things to look good. Now I still do those things, but not for the same reason - I do them because it’s about stewardship, health, and being available to help people.”

At the end of the day, his goal is to help people and better their lives by way of creativity and engineering. Learning to do that at Alpha Tech by the fundamentals of creating items, controlling machines, and manipulating raw materials to make excellent parts and widgets that people use every day has been a dream come true.

To help more students like Noah get the opportunity to encounter God in new ways and find their path into the marketplace, consider making a donation towards college scholarships for future students! Click the button below to get started.