Robert Bach’s path to the College of Western Idaho (CWI) wasn’t a straight line, but it led him exactly where he needed to be. After years of work and readjustments, Bach returned to the classroom not just to earn a degree, but to reshape his future.
A Treasure Valley native, Bach graduated from high school in 2014. Like many young adults, he spent the next several years trying to figure out what would come next. He briefly attended a college in Arizona, but the experience didn’t unfold as planned. Before long, he returned home to Idaho and stepped into the workforce.
For a few years, Bach worked in customer service and tech support. While the role provided stability, it did not offer the fulfillment he was searching for and ultimately took a toll on his well-being.
“I knew I didn’t want this to be the rest of my life,” Bach said.
Eventually, the stress of the work caught up with him. What began as exhaustion became a turning point and forced him to take a pause and reconsider the direction his life was heading.
“That was the moment I knew I had to do something different,” he said.
That “something different” brought Bach to CWI in 2021. He didn’t arrive with a detailed career plan. He just knew he wanted to work with his hands and build something real.
“I wanted to do something with metal,” he said. “I started looking at my options and watching videos, and when I saw machine tool, I got really interested. I really loved it.”
That instinct led him to enroll in CWI’s Machine Tool Technology program, where he found both challenge and clarity. The work demanded precision and problem-solving and gave Bach a sense of purpose he had been missing.
“I loved machining,” he said. “The labs and equipment at CWI are world class. I actually like being the guy pushing buttons — loading code, loading metal, and watching it come together. It just all clicks for me.”
After completing that program, Bach expanded his skill set and enrolled in CWI’s Welding and Metals Fabrication program, a more physical discipline that pushed him in new ways.
Four years later, Bach earned two Associate of Applied Science degrees from both programs, along with multiple welding certifications. He had accomplished more than he once thought possible. Still, his CWI journey wasn’t finished.
Toward the end of his welding program, Bach was encouraged by Welding and Metals Fabrication Department Chair, Mike Wheeler, to look beyond the shop floor and consider what could come next. That conversation led him to CWI’s Business Administration Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree, a program created for technically trained students who want to develop leadership skills in management, finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
“I thought about going for a bachelor’s degree at a university, but the cost was too high,” Bach said. “When I found out CWI was offering a BAS degree, I thought, ‘This fills in gaps in my education.’”
Business wasn’t something Bach pictured for himself before CWI, but it didn’t take long to see how much it mattered.
“The business degree helps if I want to run my own projects someday or move forward in a career,” he said.
Today, Bach approaches his studies as he would a full-time job, with focus and determination. Some courses have pushed him outside his comfort zone, but each challenge has strengthened his confidence and ability.
He doesn’t do it alone. Bach credits his instructors for their patience and encouragement and CWI Tutoring Services for helping him through his hardest classes.
Outside the classroom, Bach holds a role that carries just as much weight.
He works as a certified caregiver for his younger brother, who has special needs and requires around-the-clock care. The responsibility limits how much outside work he can take on during the school year and makes financial support essential.
That’s where scholarships have changed everything.
A recipient of the John Nordstrom Business Faculty Scholarship, the Local First Pleasant Valley Solar Scholarship, and the College’s Faculty Scholarship, Bach says the support has made the difference between getting by and moving forward.
“Scholarships make it possible for me to go to school and help my family,” he said.
Bach plans to graduate in May 2027 and return to the machine tool industry, continuing to build the career he once struggled to imagine. Eventually, he wants to use his bachelor’s degree to grow within a company or even open a fabrication shop of his own.
“I’m nervous,” he admitted. “But I’m hopeful.”
After years of searching for direction, Bach finally feels steady. Through CWI, he has gained not only technical skills but also the confidence to build a future with purpose.
