This summer, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center welding student Joseph Friess traded his pencil and paper for a welding torch alongside Ohio State’s Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) steamfitters. A rising senior at Upper Arlington High School, Friess has spent his summer shadowing welders and learning the ins and outs of steam production and distribution across campus.
“I’ve learned so much over this internship, everything from how steam is created in the boiler systems to how its distributed to buildings,” said Freiss. “They’re also teaching me how to weld pipe and giving me plenty of opportunities to practice. The time I spend at Ohio State is valuable because I get on the job training from people who really want to teach me.”
Freiss usually begins his days at 6 a.m., often working in places like Dreese Hall, where he recently helped replace a long-flooded heat exchanger and redo the piping that connects to it. Each project, he says, brings a new learning opportunity.
“Part of what I enjoy most is that every day is different,” said Friess. “I’m meeting and networking with a lot of different people and I’m getting more job opportunities than just welding.”
Nicholas Sturgill, steamfitter technician lead for FOD, is a mentor to Friess.
“I was intentional in selecting tasks that matched his current skillset while also providing valuable learning opportunities,” said Sturgill. “He showed a unique ability to quickly absorb new information and connect it across different systems. His initiative and enthusiasm for continuous improvement were consistently impressive.”
For Sturgill, programs like this are vital to the future of the trade industry.
“Working at the university, students get to see how their welds contribute to an entire building system, not just one part of a print,” said Sturgill. “It gives them perspective, connections and insight into different career paths.”
As the shop’s first intern, Freiss has set the tone for future students who may follow. He hopes others will take advantage of opportunities like this.
“Ohio State has a lot of very experienced people who want to teach. You can learn a lot through schooling, but hands on experience on the job is really where you learn the most.”
Freiss plans to graduate in 2026 and pursue an apprenticeship in pipe welding, a career path strengthened by his summer spent as a Buckeye.