By Ben Robinson

Courier Staff

COUNTY — Ben Waters is a fifth-year senior at Clemson University, ready for an upcoming exciting life working with the U.S. Navy on board a nuclear submarine. But it is important to him to remember his roots.

Ben Robinson/Couier
Career center graduate and soon-to-be Clemson graduate Ben Waters gives current career center students advice on plotting their education to achieve a great career.

That is why it was important for him to take time to appear at the Pickens County Career and Technology Center and encourage students and show that whatever efforts they may give today will likely lead to many brighter tomorrows.

“Never forget why you are here,” Waters told students. “You will go to college for four years to get a degree, so you can enjoy the rest of your life,”

Waters encouraged the students to become involved in activities outside of the classroom.

“When you start to apply for a job, 90 percent of the places do not ask what you learned on the classroom,” Waters said. “They want to know what you did outside of the classroom.”

A great deal of his education came from classes outside of his major. One course that impacted him was economics.

“Really, engineering and economics are very separate, but so much of what you do in engineering involves economics. It will help you see things from a different perspective,” Waters said.

Waters offered items of advice as he left.

“Be a leader in the classroom,” Waters said. “You will find there are plenty of followers. You need to be an leader. Take classes because they are interesting, not because they are easy.”

Waters advised students to participate in a co-op program while in college.

“Choose a career path as soon as you can,” Waters said. “It’s OK to change your career path, but only if you have a good reason.”

He further advised the students not to shy away from a challenge. The biggest challenge a student will likely encounter in college is learning to manage time, learning how to study and learning how to plan, he said.

Waters also advised the students to realize the opportunities available to them.

“Appreciate the opportunity you have to be educated,” Waters said.