I'm a Pathfinder: Gavin Tussey
Published on Oct 15, 2024
Greenup County native Gavin Tussey says growing up on a tobacco farm meant he learned a strong work ethic at a very young age, which later helped him to be successful and overcome the adversity life threw at him.
The oldest of three boys, and with six aunts and uncles on his father’s side, Tussey grew up around a lot of family and says they always had something going on.
“We would grow a garden large enough for everyone to eat on throughout the year as well as sale produce to earn extra income,” Tussey said. “The majority of our income came through the sell of tobacco at the end of the year, which meant we needed to have high quality tobacco to sell so it would bring the most value. If we weren’t at school, my brothers and I were out helping our family on the farm.”
With his high school graduation looming, Tussey was faced with deciding what path he wanted to take for his future.
His welding teacher was a member of UA Local 248, located in Ashland, and encouraged him to consider the apprenticeship program there.
“When I found out how much money I could make, I was all in,” Tussey said. “I was determined to find a career that would provide my family with enough to live comfortably.”
Tussey enrolled in ACTC’s Welding program in August 2008 and earned his Pipeline Welding certificate in July of 2009.
Completion of that certification made him eligible to sit for the welding evaluation that was required to be accepted in UA Local 248’s apprenticeship program.
According to Tussey, the top students that performed well during evaluations and passed two welding exams to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section IX Standards were to be accepted into the five-year apprenticeship program.
Section IX Standards help ensure that welding processes meet required quality and safety standards. It also helps users comply with relevant regulations in their jurisdictions.
“I passed my welding evaluation exams and was accepted into the apprenticeship program,” Tussey said. “I completed the program in 2013 with over 1,000 related theoretical instruction hours and over 8,000 on-the-job training hours in the pipefitting field.”
Tussey now serves as the Vice President and Training Director of UA Local 248 and is able to pay forward the same support he was given during his time as an apprentice.
“When I was a student at ACTC, I was 18 years old,” Tussey said. “ACTC not only provided me with an opportunity to learn a skillset not many people have but also provided me with mentors to guide me through the transition into the world.”
He says that he would not be where he is today without the education he received at ACTC.
“If you are ready to put in the work, ACTC will meet you more than halfway,” he said. “ACTC is a great college that will help you on your journey to become the best version of yourself and a leader in the community.”
