Feb. 3, 2012
Story and photo by Brandon Steinert 

Blake Wornkey served his country for seven years before his time in the US Army reached its end, and he began looking for work in 2010.

Rather than settle for just any job, Wornkey sought opportunities to further his education, and ultimately chose Barton Community College to take him to the next level. He worked his way through Barton’s Natural Gas Technician program and is currently employed at the City of Ellinwood.

“I didn't want to spend four years in college. I just wanted to get training and get a job,” he said. “The pace of classes was excellent and I really enjoyed it. It was amazing the amount I was able to learn in a short amount of time. They taught us a lot and got us out into the workforce, which is nice.”

Though program-length was a major factor in his decision to attend Barton, Wornkey said he was pleased with the accessibility and quality.

“I live in Ellinwood, so I liked that the campus was local,” he said. “The quality of education was excellent, and I’d recommend Barton to anyone.”

Wornkey said another benefit to Barton was the follow-through from his instructors. Even after graduation, his instructors went the extra mile and helped him find jobs for which he would be qualified.

Though there were immediate openings in Texas and Oklahoma, Wornkey opted to stay local.

“I wanted to stick around,” he said. “My wife works here and my family is all here, and we have a house in Ellinwood.”

Wornkey has been employed by the City of Ellinwood for almost half a year now, and he has nothing but good things to say about the experience.

“The courses were spot-on with the equipment I’m using now. I use a lot of the skills I learned every day, he said, adding he’s excited about his new career and will likely stay where he is well into the future. “I like the different things I do from day to day. I don’t always do the same job twice, and I like that variety.”