User blog comment:DiegoAnime3000/Cameo for an upcoming character in A Minor Hiccup?/@comment-25059531-20140809223931/@comment-96.254.157.84-20140809225414

We don't know the full extent of Ironwoods relationship with the Schnees. I'm only saying that it's not beyond the realm that students may also be employees because if you consider that the machines may be Atlas' form of Hunters, then students could be working to learn how to make those machines, thus learning from the SDC

I'm only speculating, all right.