From Learning to Leading: Augusto’s Journey
Augusto is a young man living in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, who grew up seeing a welder in action – his father. Even though his father had no formal training, he earned a meager income as a self-employed welder.
Augusto idolized his father’s profession and dreamed of following in his footsteps and working as a welder. But as he entered adulthood, he recognized that he was missing a basic understanding of welding theory, such as the correct way to measure and cut steel for fabrication. He also didn’t know more advanced welding techniques that he had seen others perform. These were skills his father wasn’t able to teach him.
So he decided to enroll in the WAVS professional welding program, which is designed to help new and existing welders become effective professionals. Professionally trained welders earn a much higher income than informal and untrained welders.
Sure enough, shortly after graduating from the one-year WAVS training program, Augusto was hired by a Dutch-owned company installing solar panel systems throughout Guinea-Bissau. He was the only welder on the team, which made him a critical part of the company!
Augusto’s Innovation Cuts Welding Time in Half
Augusto’s job was to construct the steel mounting systems that hold the solar panels in place. Before Augusto was hired, it took his company five days to weld together a mounting system. On his first day, Augusto did this in one day, using a more innovative and efficient method that he learned in the WAVS welding program that helps streamline the process for correctly measuring and welding the steel bars together to make the frames. Impressed by his work, the company adopted Augusto’s method for all their projects!
“All people should study, because when you study you can help yourself in the future,” Augusto said. “I decided to study before I have a family, because I know that one day if I have children, I will want to be able to send them to school.”
We want to thank WAVS donors who have helped give Augusto the types of professional skills needed to increase their employability and prepare them to work for a brighter future!
Augusto was able to afford tuition at the WAVS vocational school thanks to One Student members who help cover most of the cost of his training. Today, you can join this community of monthly donors and give more young people like Augusto the same opportunity, one student at a time.
