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High school welder looks for options at Fort Worth ISD internship fair

South Hills High School student Italia Jalomo, 18, talks to a recruiter on April 14 at the Fort Worth ISD Internship Fair. Jalomo works in the welding industry with her father.
Cristian ArguetaSoto
/
Fort Worth Report
South Hills High School student Italia Jalomo, 18, talks to a recruiter on April 14 at the Fort Worth ISD Internship Fair. Jalomo works in the welding industry with her father.

The internship fair featured 40 businesses and companies offering internships. About 350 students from across Fort Worth ISD high schools attended.

student Italia Jalomo, 18, picked up welding with her father 鈥 who works with metals. She learned to get the job done on her second day observing him 鈥 she鈥檚 a 鈥渉ands-on learner,鈥 she said.

鈥淚鈥檝e done welding with my dad and my uncle, who own their little gate company. I鈥檝e done that before with them. And ever since I did that, I really enjoyed it,鈥 Jalomo said. 鈥淧eople will say that鈥檚 not a woman鈥檚 job. I鈥檝e been tied down so many times about that. But I make myself happy. I think women should be a part of anything that they can do.鈥

Jalomo鈥檚 father encourages her to pursue welding while also having a back-up plan.

鈥淗e told me not to get into it forever. Because you know how the whole thing messes up your eyes. So, I plan on doing that, and then after that, see where it goes,鈥 Jalomo said. She wants to find a hands-on job where she fixes things like an electrician, she said.

The district offered the Fort Worth ISD Internship Fair on April 14. , executive director of Career and Technical Education at Fort Worth ISD, said she hopes seniors find post-graduation internships and juniors line up internships for their senior year.

South Hills High School parent specialist Miriam Rodriguez chaperoned her students to , 1050 Bridgewood Drive.

Rodriguez was keen to help her students find an internship in fields they鈥檙e interested in.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited because these kids are not the traditional, 鈥業鈥檓 going to go to college鈥 kids. For the most part, these kids are like, 鈥業 don鈥檛 even know what I want to do,鈥欌 Rodriguez said. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to get them open to different options. Let鈥檚 land them a good paying job where their skills will be showcased.鈥

Fort Worth ISD hopes to host future internship fairs in the coming years, Rickard said.