Nicole is a single mom and former shift nurse who decided she needed a career change to spend more time with her daughter. A friend told her about Bidwell Training Center's tuition-free programs, and while still paying loans for her nursing degree, a no-cost option that would help her make a life-changing investment without incurring more debt was a compelling choice.
She enrolled in the Chemical Lab Technician program and earned an externship at Covestro. Soon after, she was hired full-time at PPG and later returned to Covestro to work as a technician, where she works with foams and insulations for building materials to fabricate, test, and adjust raw materials in granular detail to enhance productivity.
Nicole's work is highly observational and contributes to testing the fabrication and effectiveness of insulations, finding the small signs that can lead to big improvements in the way roofs will perform for hospitals, schools, and other buildings.
“My work helps to put a roof over people's heads and keep them safe when it's needed most.”
Work-life balance is something Nicole holds dear, and she enjoys being able to perform meaningful, stimulating work while being fully present for her daughter, now in high school and inspired by her mom's experiences. “Environmental engineering is leading her career exploration right now and I am so incredibly proud of her.”
To learn more about exciting careers in R&D and testing labs that will put your passion for science and problem-solving to work, find out if our Chemical Laboratory Technician training program is right for you!
For immediate questions, call 412-402-9761.