Kevin Gardner’s path has been unconventional. After graduating from Virginia Peninsula Community College in 2024, he’ll step into a new role as an adjunct instructor in the Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) program.
“It’s definitely something I never would have seen myself doing,” reflected Gardner, who is slated to begin teaching introductory EET courses in the spring semester.
A marine designer at the Newport News Shipyard for seven years, he said neither job was in his plans, so he’s still amazed at having the opportunities.
“I started out as an electrician (for five years) and now I’m in the apprentice program. I work on electrical plans for the aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines, he explained.
“It’s really cool to be able to work on these aircraft carriers. Just the scale of them is incredibly interesting,” he added. “I like to look at it like: you’re building a home for the sailors, who are out to sea. You want to make sure everything works, especially with the submarine systems. That’s the part of the job I enjoy.”
Gardner admits he took a winding road careerwise.
“I had a weird track to get here. I started off when I graduated high school working at a grocery store,” recalled the alumnus of North Carolina’s Currituck High School. “Then I worked at a state prison for seven or eight years. I left the prison and worked in retail for about four or five years. I realized I didn’t like retail, so I applied to the shipyard, and it’s all been up from there.”
In 2023, after completing three semesters at Tidewater Community College, Gardner enrolled at VPCC to take courses required by The Apprentice School in Newport News. He earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology and holds a marine sciences certificate from The Apprentice School.
Gardner found his VPCC student experience enriching.
“It’s definitely helped a lot. I feel more confident in the electrical (work) I do … It gave me the understanding of the things I do at work,” he said.
As for the teaching opportunity, he believes his enthusiasm for learning and, his helpful nature during classes caught his professors’ attention and made the career option possible. They saw his potential to become an educator.
“I’ve had a really good relationship with the two instructors for the EET program – Prof. (Jean) Frank and Prof. (Sally) Schaffner. They approached me asking if I was interested in it because I seemed so enthusiastic with my learning and how I applied myself … also just my interactions with the other students, helping them out.”
Preparing to step into the classroom on a different side of the teacher’s desk, he’s most excited about sharing his knowledge.
“Being able to help other people, especially with a trades-type profession, is really good,” he said. “It’s really cool to work with a student, and when they had a question and when I explained something, seeing that little light go off in their head. When they go, ‘that makes sense now,’ it’s a really cool feeling.”
Gardner stressed as an instructor he will apply all his experiences in his approach to teaching.
“It’s not just my experience as a student; it’s also my experience actually working in the industry. I feel it’s a great thing I can bring to teaching. Having a real-world example helps (students) make that connection from a textbook to a practice problem to actually doing it hands-on,” he enthused.
It’s not all work and no play for Gardner. He enjoys spending time on his farm near Franklin, Va. where he and his wife, Kimberly, keep honeybees. He’s also teaching himself how to solder and has a passion for video gaming.
He cites his wife of five years as his main support and inspiration.
“My wife has always been my champion with everything,” Gardner said. “Even if she says she doesn’t understand what it is I’m working on… she’s been behind me 100%.”
Gardner is looking to the future with great promise. He’s scheduled to graduate from The Apprentice School in March 2025 and plans to continue advancing his career at the shipyard. He also wants to pursue an associate degree in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design at VPCC, proving his thirst for learning and growth is far from over.
“Once I graduate from the apprentice program, I’ll be able to choose where I want to go within the shipyard. When I graduate, I’ll be a designer - Level II. My goal is to become a designer -Level IV. By the time I graduate, I’ll be with the company for eight years. So, my plan is to reach the 10-year mark and see where I am,” he concluded.