“I know I’ll have to start out working for a big company like Ingalls, but I eventually want to work for myself,” he said.  “That’s really where my dreams are pushing me right now.  I like the idea of being my own boss.”

From a military family, Bramlett was born and partially raised in Alaska.  South Mississippi is a big change in climate for him.  “Yes, it is a lot hotter here.  Even the winters here are mostly hotter than summers there.  And I am making myself even hotter by choosing welding as my career.”

He said he has been a blacksmith for many years and decided he needed to make money doing what he liked.  “I make things for friends and family, but that was not earning me a living.  Welding, which is much like smithing, is a way to earn while I continue to do something I really like. What can I say?  I like playing with fire.”

In his spare time, he still likes to make a variety of items for people.  “I make knives, decorative railings, and things of that sort,” he said.  “It’s a hobby, and I certainly enjoy doing it.”

As for the Welding Technology program, he said he is thrilled to be a part of it.

“We have a great instructor who is always helping us better ourselves in the classroom and out,” he said.  “He worked in the industry for a long time and knows what we need to learn to get good jobs.  I’m glad to be here.”