Forty years after dropping out of high school, a Merritt man is attending classes and will graduate at the same time as his son.

55-year-old certified heavy-duty mechanic, Brad Bennett, is attending regular classes at Merritt Secondary School.

Bennett will be part of the 2010 graduating class at M.S.S. and is looking forward to donning the cap and gown and receiving his diploma at the same time as his son Damon.

“In the 60s and 70s it was common to quit high school to go into trade schools,” says Bennett.

That is what Bennett did, completing trade school in 1974 in Maple Ridge and becoming a certified heavy-duty mechanic.

For the last 14 years he has worked as a supervisor overseeing millions of dollars in manpower and machinery, working in mining camps.

“Not having my grade 12 has never been a problem in all of my years of working,” says Bennett.

At a time in his life when he was almost considering retirement, Bennett decided to take a cut in pay from working in camps and find a job closer to home.

“I liked the idea of being in my own bed at night,” says Bennett.

He applied at two local mines that were hiring and with his experience felt he had an excellent chance of getting a mechanics position.

He was turned down for both positions though and felt for the first time in his life that it was due to his not having finished high school.

Seeing an ad on television for the Canada Action Plan, Bennett was put in touch with the local Community Futures office.

Bennett assumed his only option for completing grade 12 would be correspondence.

“I didn't hesitate when I was told I could attend regular classes,” says Bennett.

Bennett had to be approved by the school board and undergo a criminal background check before being accepted into the school.

“The bottom line is the safety and well being of our students,” says MSS principal Millyn Sundher.

“Brad approached me directly and after meeting with him, I had no reservations about him being a part of our school.”

“We have a living, breathing example of why it is important to get your diploma.”

Sundhers says that the trades are no longer the watered down career alternatives they used to be and says providing well rounded, qualified students is their ultimate goal.

“I haven't had one person give me a negative response,” says Bennett.

“I couldn't ask for more support.”

“Everyone is behind me.”

Bennett has found that the approach to teaching has changed for the better since he was in school last.

“It was like an assembly line education in the 70s,” says Bennett.

“Now the teachers treat the students like human beings.”