Alumni Spotlight - Jared Arellano

When and why did you decide to study at Aims?

I attended Aims from 2009-2011. I decided to study at Aims because of the welding program. I did some welding at my previous job and it was something that I enjoyed doing. There is something about flipping the hood down and getting into the zone once you strike the arc. Once you start welding, all the accountability lands on the guy running the bead - I think that is one of my favorite aspects of the process.

Did you pursue further education? If so, where? What did you study?

I knew that I didn’t want to stop studying welding, so before I graduated from Aims I applied to Ohio State University. They have a Welding Engineering program that is the only ABET-accredited program in the country. I received an acceptance letter before I finished up at Aims, so the transition went well. I studied even more math, thermodynamics, material science, design and simulation, and lots of weld metallurgy.

How do you describe your career path since graduation?

My career path since graduating from Aims has been very diverse. However, since graduating several opportunities opened and I ended up in a field that I never thought I would be working in (Medical). Aims provided me with a foundation that I was able to use as I continued through school and into the workforce. I still use the basic welding principles that I learned through Aims as a method of implementing weld processes, weld inspection, and weld criteria for building implantable devices. Although I use much different welding processes from what I learned at Aims, the fundamentals are the same. Currently, I am working on welding a feature onto the end of a battery that would allow a doctor to hold onto the battery with tooling and screw the cell into the heart. These are the types of projects that I like working on because it is up to me to develop a weld that will not fail, or the consequences would be catastrophic.    

What is your favorite or funny memory of Aims?

My favorite memory of Aims was the people I was able to learn from and work with, especially in the welding department. I had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from some great people. My experience with the instructors at Aims was very good. They were always willing to help and seemed to have a genuine concern for not only my future but for my classmates as well. 

In what ways has your Aims experience had an impact on your career and who you are today?

I think that Aims helped me gain the confidence I needed to keep moving forward with my career.  It provided the groundwork for me to become a better engineer because of the fundamentals that I was able to learn through attending Aims. 

What advice do you have for current students who want to make the most out of their experience at Aims?

I would tell the current students to try and meet as many people as they can and develop good relationships with their instructors. Work hard and stay focused, but have some fun along the way.