National Park College (NPC) graduate Clayton Fagan has continued to build a successful and expanding career in the electrical industry since completing his studies at NPC.
Born in Irving, Texas, Fagan attended Nimitz High School before earning his GED at age 16 in 1994. He moved to Hot Springs in 1996 and has lived in the area intermittently, including the past 15 consecutive years in the Spa City.
Fagan’s path to NPC began when his employer, Larry Brown of All Service Electric, encouraged him to enroll in the College’s Electrical Program.
“I was 35 years old when I started school at NPC,” Fagan said. “Being that I hadn’t been to school in almost 20 years, I wasn’t sure how to even start, but the staff was super helpful in getting me started.”
Since graduating, Fagan has worked on large‑scale industrial and renewable energy projects across the United States, including solar installations with capacities exceeding 250 megawatts. He has earned electrical licenses in six states—Arkansas, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho and Maine.
Most recently, Fagan advanced into a leadership role as commissioning lead for Vale Electric’s Solar Division, overseeing electrical testing and quality assurance on the company’s largest solar project to date, which includes more than 380,000 solar modules.
“I’m now in charge of all the electrical testing for the job,” Fagan said. “That includes cable insulation resistance testing, open‑circuit voltage testing, current‑voltage curve tracing, ground continuity verification, documentation and calibration. If something fails testing, it’s also my responsibility to troubleshoot and determine why.”
Previously, Fagan served as a solar project superintendent, completing multiple renewable energy projects before relocating to the Pacific Northwest, where he continues to work on advanced electrical systems at major facilities, including a Walmart distribution center utilizing robotic and conveyor technologies.
“My life has definitely changed for the better,” Fagan said. “I love my job and will continue to better myself in all kinds of ways.”
While attending NPC, Fagan balanced school, full‑time employment and single parenthood, working more than 50 hours a week while attending classes every Thursday night for four years. He credited his mother, Beverly Phillips, with providing critical support during that time.
“I definitely could not have worked that many hours and gone to school without my mom’s help,” Fagan said.
In his free time, Fagan enjoys playing guitar, writing music, and competing in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, traveling internationally and qualifying for the 2018 and 2019 Pokémon World Championships.
Reflecting on his educational journey, Fagan emphasized the importance of perseverance and hands‑on instruction.
“It’s never too late to start a career in the Electrical Program—or anything else,” Fagan said. “I was 35 when I started at NPC. The program was great, and the instructors didn’t just teach the Electrical Code. They helped with real‑world job questions and shared tricks of the trade that made a difference.”
Looking ahead, Fagan hopes to retire within the next 15 years and fulfill his long‑held dream of traveling the world, a goal he credits in part to the foundation he built at National Park College.
For more information about NPC’s Apprenticeship programs visit np.edu/Apprenticeships.