Erick has spent most of his working life in the physical world — delivering packages, handling food, installing art with the care of someone who takes the work seriously no matter what it is. A Ridgewood, Queens native, he's no stranger to demanding, hands-on labor, and he's carried that ethic through every job he's taken on.

Welding has been on his radar for years, but cost kept it out of reach. When he found Welder Underground through a Google search and learned that apprentices get paid while they learn, he knew this was worth pursuing. He's here to earn the skill, build the knowledge, and make the most of every day in the shop.