2018 Scholar of the Year: Michael Sharlow

Not many people knew that Michael Sharlow didn’t graduate from high school. He managed a warehouse for a national furniture chain in Wichita. When it closed and he was laid off, he was offered the opportunity to transfer out of state. Michael had about 20 years of experience in the industry, working his way up from furniture repair to management. He didn’t want to move away from his family though, and that left him in a little bit of a predicament. What to do now?

As he was job searching, he saw an ad for the NexStep Alliance GED program, a partnership between Goodwill and WSU Tech. He enrolled at NexStep and the Accelerating Opportunity program to get on the fast track to a career in aviation. While he studied for the GED exams, he also took courses through WSU Tech to earn a certification in composites fabrication.

After more than 20 years out of school, it was a little tough to get started, he recalled, but quitting was never an option.

“The older I get, the more stubborn I get. Give me a job, and I’m going to do it to my fullest,” Michael said. “If I hadn’t been without a job, I don’t know that I would’ve ever done it, but I’m happy that I did.”

He didn’t waste any time either. Michael earned both his high school diploma and the composites certification in five months. He returned to NexStep the following semester to encourage the incoming students and tell his story.

After interviewing with Spirit AeroSystems, a global aircraft manufacturer, he was offered a position in the sand and fill department, prepping the exterior of the Boeing 737 for paint. “It feels good to be back to work and into a routine,” he says.