Veteran Takes a New Stride in Welding Career Opportunity

Updated: January 14, 2022

Moises Almonte, a student at SICC. Photo received by Southern Industrial Career Center.

Emilio Flores
La Feria News

Moises Almonte is a 30-year-old Veteran, serving in the U.S. Army for 5 years, now has found himself a new career endeavor that he is really enjoying. Mr. Almonte, having been in the military for several years, has lived in several different areas including New York, New Jersey, and Austin. It was in Austin that Mr. Almonte met his wife, who grew up in the Valley, and they eventually decided to move back to her hometown of La Feria in 2019.

Moises explains that at the time he was going to school, learning about computers, then the pandemic hit… He says that it became increasingly more difficult, and wasn’t finding an interest or passion for computers anymore.
He says “It’s not so easy learning through a screen…” he explains that he started to realize then that he likes to work with his hands and that computer programming just wasn’t it for him.

Then he found out about welding. Moises Almonte, living just down the road from the welding school here in La Feria, decided to finally swing by SICC one day and see what it was all about. The difference between computers and welding he says is far different. Opposite ends you might say. He expresses that he thought he really liked computers, but when he learned about welding, he fell in love with it.

Moises says he’s still learning the industry and wants to learn as much as he can to find what he really enjoys and is good at, but says he’s interested in working on ships on the pier, “…I like to be in small places” says “It’s weird, some people get claustrophobic, but I love small spaces.” Almonte also says having a military background he enjoys working with some danger and risk involved.

Moises Almonte is still taking courses at SICC in La Feria, still early on in learning, but loving every bit of it! His advice to the younger generation is to, “Try everything.” He says, “Get an internship or get into some of the work involving it(what you are interested in)” Jump into something he says, but then be patient with it, and give it some time. It doesn’t always come right away. But says that it’s worth it in the end, to find something you love and enjoy, that’s everything.