Markus Bogans used to spend his days selling foreclosed property for Wells Fargo, and before that, he handled Lending Tree mortgages.

But both companies had laid him off within a year. Eager to change careers, he traded in his suit and tie for a blow torch and welding hood.

The Charlotte man recently enrolled in welding school, WEC Welding Institute in Rock Hill, where he practiced welding last week crouched next to a six-inch carbon steel pipe.

“There's no hope for the banking industry, and the housing market is pretty bad,” said Bogans, 29. “I wanted something I could stick with and take anywhere.”

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