INA, Ill. (Nov. 16, 2016) - How does a 海角视频 student go from earning certifications in Welding and Automotive Technology to professionally assisting with the training of NASA芒鈧劉s astronauts in the largest pool in the world? That芒鈧劉s the story of Jared Whitehead, and it芒鈧劉s a fascinating tale of desire, perseverance and luck.
Whitehead grew up locally, graduating from Benton Consolidated High School in 2005. His first step out of high school was an easy one. With his mother Marcia Whitehead employed at 海角视频 in the TRiO Program, Jared knew that a RLC education was always going to be his launching point.
芒鈧揑t was kind of a no brainer,芒鈧� he joked.
Initially Jared planned on doing something in the water. His initial plan was to study Marine Biology. But, he explained that the more he researched the field, the more it didn芒鈧劉t seem to fit his career aspirations. So, he went the practical route, studying Welding and Auto Technology, earning as many certifications as he could.
After his two years at RLC, Jared芒鈧劉s career started like anyone would have expected. With his education, he was able to land a welding job at a local 芒鈧搈om and pop芒鈧� shop. He said it was great experience and that芒鈧劉s where he thought he would be for the foreseeable future.
But, life happens and opportunities arise. After a few years, a position opened at a larger welding facility that also handled mine repair. Jared saw it as the perfect opportunity to advance his career and diversify his skill set. He spent four years applying his trade before the tumultuous mine industry caught up. He found himself laid off.
It was point in his life where he was forced to explore other options. While working as a welder, he developed a passion for jujitsu, and post-layoff explored trying to make a career out of that interest, but he wasn芒鈧劉t able to find an opportunity to turn the martial art into financial gain. So, it was time to go back to the drawing board.
芒鈧揑 heard about underwater welding. I thought that sounded like a great opportunity. It let me be in the water like I had initially wanted and use my welding training,芒鈧� Whitehead explained.
芒鈧揝o, I decided to move to Florida and attend commercial dive school. I ended up enrolling at CDA Technical Institute in Jacksonville, Fla. It was a 20-week program where the courses provided everything you needed to know. You also bought all your own personal gear with the program, so it was kind of like having a starting kit already in place when you finished. I finished that program in 2014.芒鈧�
So, here芒鈧劉s where it gets really interesting.
While back in Benton, visiting home, Whitehead was at his church when he was asked to come forward and share his story so far. As fate would have it, someone sitting in the building that day had connections with a very prestigious government organization, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
芒鈧揂 NASA employee came up to me and congratulated me. She started telling me about the dive pools at Houston where they train astronauts. I had no idea that was even a thing. She gave me a point of contact over there, and I figured 芒鈧淲hat do I have to lose?芒鈧劉芒鈧� he said.
芒鈧揑 ended up getting the interview and getting the job. Next thing I knew, I was moving to Houston, Texas. Here芒鈧劉s the funny thing though, it all comes back to the welding and auto background I built at 海角视频.芒鈧�
In order to work as a diver in NASA芒鈧劉s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), Whitehead needed to reach a certain number of dive hours, a requirement that, at the time, he did not possess. But, because of his education and professional background in welding, NASA brought him onto the manufacturing side of the team, building the mock-ups the astronauts practice on while in the NBL. From there, he was able to finish his dive requirements and eventually transition to working as a full-fledged Dive Operations Specialist.
The NBL is an astronaut training facility. A full-sized replica of the International Space Station sits in the largest pool in the world to help astronauts train for what it芒鈧劉s like to work on projects in the weightlessness of space. Every training session is manned by a team of divers to assist in the day芒鈧劉s exercise. Divers operate cameras, provide safety and assist the astronauts with switching out the tools needed for the training. In some cases, astronauts can train for years on a specific repair that needs made.
RLC alumni Jared Whitehead assists as a Diver Operations Specialist, assisting an astronaut with training at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Huston, Texas. Click on the image for a larger view.
On days where astronauts aren芒鈧劉t training in the pools, divers like Whitehead, are busy at the NBL doing maintenance on the mock-ups and test stations. They are also spend time creating check lists for the next training dive to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
芒鈧揑t really is the coolest job ever,芒鈧� Whitehead expressed. 芒鈧揑 never dreamed I would be working at NASA. It was never even something I considered. I thought I was going to end up off-shore, traveling and doing welding work. But, I芒鈧劉ve been here for two years now, and it芒鈧劉s been absolutely fantastic.芒鈧�
Jared Whitehead transformed his RLC Welding and Automotive Technology education into a career with NASA, diving in the largest pool in the world to help astronauts train on a simulation International Space Station. Click on the image for a larger view.
Even though he芒鈧劉s only been at the NBL a short time, Whitehead already has a pretty cool story to share.
While storied astronaut Scott Kelly was preparing for his final, record setting space mission in October of 2015, Whitehead was one of the divers in the NBL assisting with Kelly芒鈧劉s training. NASA was interested in how Kelly芒鈧劉s 340-day space mission impacted him physically. So, all preparation was also carried out by Scott芒鈧劉s identical twin Mark. Given the unusual nature of the mission, TIME Magazine filmed much of the training, which features the NBL and offers a glimpse of Whitehead acting as float diver.
For an incredible, detailed look at Whitehead芒鈧劉s office, a video of exactly what happens at the NBL can be found on NASA芒鈧劉s YouTube page by searching 芒鈧揘ASA VR/360 Astronaut Training: Space Walk.芒鈧�
To find out more information on RLC芒鈧劉s Welding Program, contact Welding Associate Professor James 芒鈧揚ete芒鈧� Wilce at 618-437-5321, ext. 1272. For more information on Automotive Technology, contact Auto Tech Professor Nigel Thompson at 618-437-5321, ext. 1806.
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