Lucas MacNeill

Lucas, what were you up to before coming here?

I worked construction for a bit, building houses. I also had my own pressure washing company. That was pretty much it, a little dabbling after high school and then came here. I was accepted to the program for March 2026, but I graduated before that and had some time to burn before I started, so I pressure washed houses and worked the construction job – to keep busy until I came.

 

Why welding?

It’s interesting that Jason asked me that in our interview, and I was actually stumped. All I know is that I welded in high school at KVHS and I liked it. I just enjoyed doing it, and the fact that there is always so much more to learn. I spent a lot of the time just practicing and teaching myself.

 

What made you choose Ready Arc?

I heard about it in high school, all good things. I figured if I was going to go anywhere, I should go here. Coming here and having the guidance of guys with a whole bunch of life experience, I knew I could get a lot better of an education. The number of tickets, the instructors, and the time frame – it’s a lot better than other programs. I liked coming for six months instead of a whole year. Come in, work your *** off, not waste any time kind of thing. Just put your nose down and get to work.

 

So, how were your six months with us?

I remember during my interview, Jason said his best students show up early. I knew then – I’m going to show up early. I made sure almost every day I was here waiting for him (and he’s an early bird). It paid off, big time. Just getting an extra hour and a half every day of practice adds up pretty quick. And the instructors were always super helpful. If I needed anything from them, they were there. And the endless tips and tricks, that’s something you don’t get anywhere else, I would think. The thing about Ready Arc, it’s way more personal than just going somewhere else and having who knows how many kids in a class with a couple instructors. So it was worth the wait.

 

You made it to graduation day. What’s next?

I’m heading right over to the 213 Monday morning, not wasting any time. So, get my block results, go there, do the assessment and get right to it. Hopefully start to prove myself with the shutdown work. I think that’d be a good way to start my career.