​Austin Johnson suffers from a mild case of dyslexia, making it difficult for him to slow down and read thoroughly. Despite this challenge, he knew higher education was vital if he wanted to follow his heart's desire to enter a career in welding. Growing up in St. Paul and following a long​ family tradition, Austin enrolled at Saint Paul College, hoping that this school would help him overcome his challenges.

Attending college during the COVID pandemic, Austin said he always felt safe and comfortable as the classrooms adhered to social distancing and other safety protocols. He also appreciated the smaller class sizes, allowing him to receive the necessary attention to grasp the concepts. Austin especially found it noteworthy how his teachers taught with a strong emphasis on ensuring student success and how they would go out of their way to be helpful.

Recently graduating with an A.A. Degree in Welding & CNC, Austin looks back on how important it was that tests were so applicable to real-life needs, rather than just short-term memorization that he has seen in other educational settings. He reflected on how that was crucial to him retaining information despite his challenges associated with dyslexia. Austin is excited to now take his real-life educational experiences into the marketplace.​