Being a college preparatory school, BSM offers students the opportunity to enroll in PSEO, or Post-Secondary Enrollment Opportunities. When most people think of PSEO, they think about taking traditional academic courses at a University. However, PSEO also gives highschoolers the ability to enroll in trade school. Hennepin Technical College is a local tech school that two BSM seniors, Hayden Caywood and Jack Kroft, are enrolled in. “Basically, PSEO gets me out of highschool and allows me to explore what I like to learn,” Caywood said.

Hennepin Technical College allows PSEO students to register for any classes so long as they meet the prerequisites, which are usually a class rank or a letter of recommendation from a teacher. There are also certain programs that have restrictions, such as their Culinary Arts program that requires students to be at least 16 years old.

Both Caywood and Kroft are enrolled in welding courses at Hennepin Tech as well as five classes at BSM including wellness. They leave BSM at 11:10 Monday through Thursday. Once they leave they head to Hennepin Tech’s Brooklyn Park campus to take different types of welding classes. Hayden has completed four different welding courses Hennepin Tech offers. The four courses he completed are stick welding, tig welding, mig welding, and flux welding. However, Jack just started PSEO this semester, so he is taking stick welding and mig welding. “Tig is my favorite because it’s more technical; it’s the hardest.” Caywood said.

Welding is a complex scientific process that requires patience and strenuous work. Caywood and Kroft have begun dedicating hours of their free time to master this process. “Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials together, usually metals, and you do this by using heat that melts it together, and after it cools, it fuses together” Kroft said.

Caywood plans to continue on this path next year by enrolling in Dunwoody College of Technology to get the welding and metal fabrication associates degree. Kroft has decided to continue his trade in Tampa, Florida next year. Caywood is optimistic about his future earnings. “I could be pushing 6 figures depending on how much I want to work,” Caywood said.

For more information about Hennepin Technical College and their PSEO programs visit their website.