{"id":1082,"date":"2023-08-29T20:26:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T20:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/?p=1082"},"modified":"2024-08-16T18:14:53","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T18:14:53","slug":"discovery-class-empowers-students-to-dream-big","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/2023\/08\/29\/discovery-class-empowers-students-to-dream-big\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Discovery\u2019 class empowers students to dream big"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Juanita Lopez-Escobar shows her welding skills. Photo courtesy of PCC.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Discovery\u2019 class empowers students
\n to dream big<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe beauty of welding is that you can travel the world,\u201d said Juanita Lopez-Escobar. \u201cYou can work anywhere if you\u2019re a welder.\u201d
\nLopez-Escobar, who lives in Forest Grove, found her true passion for welding through Portland Community College\u2019s \u201cDiscover Manufacturing and Construction Trades\u201d on-ramp class. Taught by Kali Giaritta, the course opened doors for Lopez-Escobar that she never thought possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had different companies there that represented welding, manufacturing and construction,\u201d said Lopez-Escobar. \u201cYou get to see what is interesting and what works for you and then talk to Kali to see what the program is about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her journey into welding began in the fall of 2022 when she joined the on-ramp class after discovering a flier from the Employment Department. The experience proved to be life-changing as she got to tour a PCC welding class, met a welding instructor, and connected with PCC\u2019s Career Pathways \u2013 a program of stackable, short-term training certificates.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Discover\u2019 classes are open to anyone in the community who wants to learn more about their options for careers and college,\u201d Giaritta said. \u201cMost people don\u2019t know what a career in machining, CADD, welding, or microelectronics would look like. This class helps students envision the end goal and helps them map out the path to that goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Lopez-Escobar, learning a trade was not just about earning a living; it was about empowerment and personal fulfillment. Lopez-Escobar added, \u201cI had a dream to learn a trade so I could say, \u201cI did this! I know how to do this!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her determination only grew stronger as she realized the support network she had in Giaritta and her instructors. They reassured her that age was no barrier to learning something new, and with their guidance, she began her journey into welding.<\/p>\n

Through PCC\u2019s new Integrated Education and Training (IET) Program in welding, she found an efficient career pathway to achieve her dream at the new welding shop at the Rock Creek Campus. The program promised to train her in just two terms, and the best part was that her tuition would be fully covered. This opportunity allowed her to continue working while pursuing her certification during the summer.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Discover\u2019 classes offer a chance for students to explore their options so they can make a confident decision about which path to choose,\u201d Giaritta said. \u201cThey foster a welcoming environment where prospective students can learn about resources for student success and connect with other students who are starting a similar journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cJuanita came into the \u2018Discover\u2019 class with a great attitude,\u201d she continued. \u201cShe was motivated to learn and wasn\u2019t afraid to try new things. When our class visited OMIC and welding instructor Lucas Briggs asked for a volunteer to help with a demo, Juanita was the first student to raise her hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lopez-Escobar\u2019s path to welding was not without challenges. Her family immigrated to the United States from Mexico when she was just 12 years old, and she faced difficulties adapting to a new culture and language. Nevertheless, she persevered, raising her first two children by working in the manufacturing industry and seizing every chance to acquire new skills. After the birth of her third child, she realized she needed to secure a higher-paying trade to provide a better life for her family. Her determination led her to welding when she noticed a demand for welders in her workplace.<\/p>\n

One of the key benefits of welding training is the high demand for skilled welders in a wide range of industries. By undergoing welding training, individuals can position themselves for lucrative career opportunities and job security in a diverse array of industries that depend on welding for their operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be scared,\u201d Lopez-Escobar advised. \u201cThere are always people here to help you out as you start something new. Doesn\u2019t matter what age you are, it will be hard, but you can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article was provided through a PCC news release. For more information on Discover courses, go to pcc.edu\/opportunity-center\/jobs\/<\/a><\/em>
\ndiscover-classes\/ or call 971-722-2688.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2018Discovery\u2019 class empowers students  to dream big \u201cThe beauty of welding is that you can travel the world,\u201d said Juanita Lopez-Escobar. \u201cYou can work anywhere if you\u2019re a welder.\u201d Lopez-Escobar, who lives in Forest Grove, found her true passion for welding through Portland Community College\u2019s \u201cDiscover Manufacturing and Construction Trades\u201d on-ramp class. Taught by Kali …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":1117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18615],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-headlines"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djcoregon.com\/skilledmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}