When Manchester Community College (MCC) opened on Front Street in 1966, 26 students enrolled in the Welding and Metallurgy program. Jim Covatis was one of them.
Jim’s father used to tell his young son that soap existed to “wash dirt off your hands after a good day’s work.” Jim absorbed his father’s appreciation for manual labor, but a shop class at Manchester’s Memorial High School set the course for his future. “I picked welding as an elective and was intrigued. I liked the fact that you have to be perfect. Welding is an art that takes a lot of finesse and expertise,” he explained.
Jim fine-tuned his skills at MCC and received his associate degree in Welding and Metallurgy in 1968 as a proud member of the very first graduating class from MCC’s Front Street location. Three weeks later, he was called to serve in the Vietnam War.
Jim joined the Marines and was sent to the jungles of Vietnam. His experience in Vietnam had nothing in common with life in New Hampshire, yet Jim says that he drew from his time at MCC to earn his Marine Corps emblem and survive in brutal conditions. “The discipline taught in welding class carried over to the Marine Corps, and I built on it,” he said. “My instructors taught me the importance of doing things precisely and that the strength of the whole structure depends on the guy running a bead to weld beams together. You learn to do things right.”
In 1974, Jim was discharged from the military after rising in the ranks to corporal. He worked for four years at a welding company in Londonderry before taking a job at Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH), now known as Eversource. Jim recalls that PSNH hired him on the spot because he had an associate degree from MCC and had completed his military service.
PSNH needed skilled welders who could work on crucial high-pressure vessels and had the training to understand instrumentation. Jim’s degree from MCC showed that he had what it took to handle the job. “This piece of paper that shows I graduated from MCC got me a 25-year career with a good hourly wage,” said Jim as he proudly shared his original 1968 diploma.
Jim built a life on his MCC training. He supported five children from two marriages; purchased a home in Manchester; remained engaged in military organizations such as the Marine Corps League, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars; and had more than a bit of fun.
Out of the 26 students enrolled in Jim’s class, he was one of only three Welding and Metallurgy graduates in 1968. He feels some who didn’t graduate got sidetracked and didn’t appreciate the opportunity they had to shape their lives. He urges current students to make education count. “This isn’t a game. This is your life.”
Jim retired from PSNH in 2004 but discovered that a sedentary life did not suit him. He remains active in hunting and fishing, driving an airport shuttle, and taking a leadership role in the Marine Corps League. He recently toured MCC’s Welding Technology facilities and was impressed by all the changes, from robotics to state-of-the-art equipment. “Students are so fortunate to learn and grow here,” he commented after the tour, “our community colleges provide the opportunity to thrive and succeed in life.”
Jim looks forward to participating in MCC’s 80th anniversary celebration in November 2025. As a proud member of the first graduating class from the Front Street campus, he is part of MCC’s history and exemplifies how community college helps to build lifelong careers.
For more information on events being planned, visit mccnh.edu/80anniversary or contact Vicky Jaffe at vjaffe@ccsnh.com
