Sunday, November 30, 2025
CVTC student to graduate, join father in automation career
Thomas Sabelko, 21, of Eau Claire, already has a job waiting for him before he graduates with an associate degree from the Automation Engineering Technology program at Chippewa Valley Technical College, on Thursday, Dec. 11. He’ll join his father at Cascades Tissue Group.
For Thomas Sabelko, learning has always been about figuring things out.
“I like to learn how stuff works, whether that’s building something from scratch or troubleshooting what went wrong,” he said. “You’ve got to use your resources. That’s how I’ve always learned best.”
Sabelko, 21, of Eau Claire, grew up homeschooled, where learning often meant exploring beyond textbooks, sometimes through hands-on projects or educational field trips.
“It was different, but it taught me how to find answers for myself,” he said. “That skill has helped me a lot.”
That curiosity and drive to problem-solve eventually led Sabelko to Chippewa Valley Technical College’s Automation Engineering Technology program, where he’s thriving in a learning environment that matches his style.
“CVTC is all hands-on,” he said. “You learn it, then you apply it right away. That’s how I learn best. You learn from doing. That’s my favorite part.”
Sabelko’s determination to attend CVTC was practical and personal. His father, also a CVTC graduate, now serves on the program’s advisory board and works as an Electrical and Instrumentation supervisor at Cascades Tissue Group, a local manufacturer. His mom also attended CVTC in the early 1990s, taking psychology classes from an instructor who, decades later, would also teach Sabelko.
“My great-uncle and grandpa both worked at Cascades, too. So now I’ll be the third generation,” he said.
Sabelko is looking forward to graduating in December and then starting his new position at Cascades, the same company where his dad works. It’s a full-circle moment that began with a connection at a career fair.
“I gave out about 10 copies of my resume,” Sabelko said. “Cascades called me back, and it just went from there. They respected that I wanted to finish school before starting, so I’ll begin in January.”
Finding his path through exploration
Before choosing automation, Thomas attended several CVTC open houses with his mom and friends, where he got to try welding, create metal dog tags, and explore different labs.
By the time he was ready for college, he honed in on automation even though he wasn’t sure it was a good fit.
“I thought it would be too much computer work,” Sabelko admitted. “But once I got into it, I realized it’s still really hands-on. The programming actually helps you with the hands-on work, like troubleshooting and fixing equipment. It all connects.”
Sabelko appreciates that CVTC’s instructors encourage collaboration and critical thinking.
Mark Husby, Sabelko’s Automation Engineering Technology instructor at CVTC, said he appreciates working with students because he sees them transform as they learn.
“I enjoy seeing those lightbulbs turn on … seeing somebody like Tom (Sabelko) come from first semester not knowing much about the subject, and just building that knowledge up to graduation,” Husby said. “We get really good students in our program. They just blend really well. They all work together, and it’s really exciting to see when they all graduate.”
As for affordability and career potential, Sabelko said those were also major factors in choosing CVTC.
“My whole program costs around $10,000, and I’ll graduate with a great job lined up,” he said. “It just makes sense. It’s practical, and you can start your career right away.”
Sabelko is proof of that.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s going to be hard work, but I’m willing to learn. Automation is for people who never want to stop learning, and who love the feeling you get when you figure something out.”
