Jada never considered the trades until a school visit to a welding shop. Now she's earning more than most college grads.
Jada, 19, from Houston, was headed to a state university with no clear major. Then her high school arranged a field trip to a local welding shop.
"I picked up the torch and something clicked," Jada recalls. "The focus, the precision, the sparks — it felt like art, but with steel."
She enrolled in a welding certification program instead of college. Within 8 months, she had her AWS certification. Within a year, she was working full-time at a shipyard making $62,000.
"My friends are still in school, taking on debt, figuring out what they want to do. I already know, and I'm getting paid to do it every day."
Jada now mentors younger students through her local trade school. "A lot of girls don't even know welding is an option. I want to change that."
Her advice? "Don't let anyone tell you trades aren't 'real' careers. I make great money, I love my work, and I have zero student debt. That's pretty real to me."