Student profile: Meet Isabelle Erickson, Construction Management Technology

“I feel WCTC is doing a very good job of setting me up for success in my career. … I believe one of the greatest benefits of a tech school education is being able to learn skills and concepts that will actually help me in my field.” -- Isabelle Erickson

For Isabelle Erickson, the path to a career in construction started early. She was inspired by a pretrades program she participated in while a student at Wauwatosa East High School, and upon finishing it, she knew she wanted to pursue technical education.

When Erickson visited WCTC with the initial plan to learn welding, she knew WCTC was the right place for her. However, she changed her program of study to Construction Management Technology to better align with her long-term goal of becoming a tile setter.

“I felt as if getting a CMT degree now would be a good move,” she said. “I would be able to get a formal education while still preparing myself for a career [in tile setting] and possibly move into a construction management position later in life.”

While Erickson is only in the second semester of her WCTC program, she’s been exposed to construction settings and involved in projects for a while. The past three summers, she volunteered with the Appalachia Service Project (ASP), a mission-based program that repairs homes in Kentucky, West Virginia and neighboring states for low-income families. She has refinished floors, built wheelchair ramps and repaired porches, and she has seen firsthand how this work can positively impact lives. This summer, she will serve as a project manager.

“I am super excited for this opportunity to serve a community I care deeply about, as well as further my construction career,” she said.

On campus, Erickson has been involved with numerous Student Life activities, and most recently, she was elected president of the Student Leadership Council. Additionally, she is involved with the Student Mentoring Program.

Looking ahead, Erickson is on track to graduate in spring 2027 – but she’s also considering earning another trades-based degree. After WCTC, her aim is to complete a tile setting apprenticeship through the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers District Council in Milwaukee.

Her WCTC education, Erickson said, is preparing her for what’s next.

“I feel WCTC is doing a very good job of setting me up for success in my career. … I believe one of the greatest benefits of a tech school education is being able to learn skills and concepts that will actually help me in my field.”