Arturo Jones, an Orlando, Fla. native now living in Fairmont, joined the Electrical Engineering Technology instructional staff at Southeastern Community College. Jones described himself as a “hands-on and people-friendly person” and hopes to use those qualities to connect with his students.  

Jones said his first connection to SCC was his mom being a former student, and he felt that teaching was the right path for him. This is his first time back in a classroom, and he hopes to lay a “firm foundation” for his students. 

Tasked with instructing first-year students in the Electrical Engineering program, Jones’ class lineup includes Intro to AutoCAD, Intro to Wiring, Pathway to Employment and Mechanisms. His favorite part of the job so far is interacting with students of diverse backgrounds and personalities. Jones praised the on-boarding process and making him feel welcomed as he transitioned to the world of teaching. 

“So, I’m trying to connect with the students not as a whole but individually,” Jones said. “And it’s easy to do that with the small class sizes and giving each student one-on-one attention.” 

Remembering his associate’s degree coursework and sensing the similarities to what he is teaching now, Jones said that he is laying the foundation for careers in manufacturing for his students. The same labs and equipment used in class are the same equipment he remembers using in his first job.  

“They’re going to use this stuff every day on the job because they’re getting the fundamentals on how to wire stuff up,” Jones said.  

Jones said his goal for the first semester is to hear positive feedback from his students as they transition to higher level courses. He wants his students to master the basic knowledge of electricity and electrical systems.  

Jones is a 2012 graduate of Fairmont High School. He earned an associate’s degree in electrical engineering from Robeson Community College in 2018, and he graduated from the Industrial Engineering Technology program at East Carolina University earlier this year. He will start his master’s degree in electrical safety in spring 2025.  

Jones previously worked for RS&H, a private engineering consulting firm that did work for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Before that, he was a field engineer for the North Carolina Department of Insurance. 

With two children, Kayson and Kallie, Jones spends his free time on the baseball field and up in the air; Jones earned a private pilot license 2021.