Before Kaela Martin completed the Front Line Advanced Supervisor course at Berkshire Community College, she had already made smart career choices. She had landed a job as a welder fabricator at Lenco, an armored vehicle manufacturer in Pittsfield, in 2023 and was proving herself to be a valuable employee. But Kaela isn't the type of person to sit still and let her career path determine itself — or, worse, become stagnant.

 

"I started kind of accidentally working my way up at Lenco, just my helping my crew chief and taking on extra responsibilities. They saw potential and wanted to develop that. They wanted to give me the tools to do my job properly," Kaela said. 

 

Lenco arranged for her to take the course at BCC, and she began working half of her time in the office and half on the shop floor.

 

"It was very unique position. I think it's a superpower, in a way," Kaela said. "I have respect on the team because they know I'm a fabricator and they know I understand their world, and now I also understand this world. It's helpful being able to bring the two together."

 

Because Kaela is always looking for ways to improve, the BCC course seemed to be a logical fit. It took a year to complete the rigorous course, which was held every Tuesday for 4-6 hours and totaled more than 150 hours. While taking the course, Kaela maintained her full-time schedule at Lenco, and those hours counted towards the technical hours required for the class. Upon completion, Kaela earned a certificate of apprenticeship and a certificate of Lean Manufacturing.

 

Kaela concedes that the course was challenging, but the rewards are worth it. After all, she is no stranger to hard work.

 

Born and raised in Sheffield, where she still lives with her family, Kaela has been around trades her whole life. She learned the value of trades from her father, who was an electrician.