José Luis Martínez is a high school student with a very clear goal in mind: He wants to be a welder.

His motivation for seeking out the technical trade?

"Honestly, for the money,” Martinez said.

Obtaining a certification through a trade school like South Texas College does not take as long as it would to get a bachelor's degree.

“If a student came and started to take a structural certificate that has five certifications, they could be done in nine months,” said Hector Cavazos, welding program chair at STC.

Martínez and his classmates have been working on becoming certified welders by the time they graduate high school. They're already taking classes at South Texas College.

Instructors say welders are in high demand. Big companies located in the Valley, such as General Electric, need the manpower. Salaries range between $37,000 to $43,000.

"There's a lot of opportunity here in the Valley,” said Leonel Garcia, a training manager with STC. “There's a lot of manufacturers, especially here in McAllen."

Around 84,000 average welding jobs are expected to be filled in the U.S. between this year and 2025, yet 336,000 new welders are projected to be needed by 2026.

It's not just welders, it includes commercial truck drivers, those that repair heating and AC systems and mechanics. They're all needed, regardless if there's a pandemic or inflation.

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