Pursuing a career in the trades wasn’t at the forefront of Kylynn Hernandez’s mind when she was thinking about her future, but social media posts sparked her curiosity in a new career and prompted her to enroll in classes at Moraine Valley.

“I had some other things in mind, but then videos and pictures about welding kept coming across my [Instagram and TikTok] feed and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, I think I would like to pursue this.’ You know, at least give it a try,” she said.

Kylynn said she always has been a “hands on” person, so she believes welding is a perfect fit for her interests.

“These are the first welding classes I’ve taken so I’m totally new to it, and I love it,” Kylynn shared. “All the instructors really are great, especially Dave Viar. He makes the program and he’s a really fun dude. The other students are very friendly, too.”

Kylynn looks forward to becoming a pipe fitter once she finishes her classes at Moraine Valley and said the college is giving her a good foundation by providing the skills she will need to succeed in the field.

“If you want a trade where you do a self-project but you’re working with a team, welding is it,” she said. “The program at Moraine Valley really is a good one. There are a lot of paths you can choose in welding, and I am trying them out. That’s what I would tell other people — try it. If you don’t like it, there are others you can try. There are going to be preferences and people aren’t always going to stick to one thing. For me, welding really stuck.”