When Carson McKee was learning to weld at the Delaware Area Career Center, he probably didn’t imagine that path would one day lead him to help build the world’s largest rocket. But that’s exactly where his DACC foundation took him.
Carson, a 2022 graduate of the Welding & Sheet Metal Fabrication program at DACC and Olentangy Liberty High School, is now a Welding Engineering student at The Ohio State University, where he is pursuing his bachelor’s degree with a specialized focus on laser welding and stainless steel metallurgy.
His academic journey has already opened extraordinary doors. Carson has interned at both NASA and SpaceX, where he worked on laser welding in-space research and contributed to the manufacturing of humanity’s largest rocket. It’s the kind of real-world experience that most engineering students can only dream about, and it’s grounded in skills he started building right here in Delaware, Ohio.
“DACC gave me the technical foundation and confidence to chase big opportunities in welding and engineering,” Carson shared. That foundation didn’t just teach him how to weld—it taught him how to think like an engineer, approach problems hands-on, and step confidently into professional environments.
Even as he tackles university coursework and high-profile internships, Carson says he still leans on the skills and mindset he developed at DACC. For him, the program wasn’t just a starting point—it was the spark that made everything else possible.
His advice for current DACC students is refreshingly direct: “Be curious and work your butt off.” It’s a message that captures the drive and work ethic that have taken him from the welding lab to the launch pad.
Carson’s story is proof that career and technical education isn’t a ceiling—it’s a launchpad. With the right foundation and the determination to push forward, there’s no limit to where DACC students can go.
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Learn more about DACC's Welding and Sheet Metal Fabrication program at DACC.