“Before Fresh Start, I was a little lost, but now, after Fresh Start, I have clear goals. I have things to look forward to—and more growth to come.”
Lizethe* never imagined herself going back to school—let alone earning a full-ride scholarship and building a career in welding.
“I would describe Fresh Start as life changing,” Lizethe said. “I never imagined myself going back to school and on a full ride scholarship on top of that. I just never thought I was that smart or that would happen to me.”
Before discovering Fresh Start, Lizethe was searching for a career path that felt meaningful and lasting. She worked hard, moving from job to job, hoping each new opportunity might finally be the right fit.
“Before Fresh Start, I was a little lost,” she shared. “I was trying everything I could to find something that could be lasting career-wise. I would give every job about two years, and if I hit a ceiling or wasn’t happy, I would move on to the next.”
Everything changed unexpectedly during a resource event at her daughter’s school. With only a few families in attendance, Lizethe had the chance to visit each booth and learn about local organizations.
The final booth she stopped at was Fresh Start.
“They really caught my attention when they started talking about entrepreneurship, women, and empowerment,” Lizethe said. “I took the card home, and a few days later I found it again in my bag. I thought, ‘Wait, this is something I need to look into.’”
When she began exploring Fresh Start’s website, Lizethe came across an opportunity that immediately sparked excitement: welding.
“I remember getting butterflies when I saw it,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘I’ve always wanted to do welding—how is that possible?’”
Through Fresh Start, Lizethe enrolled in the RSI welding program and earned her OSHA safety certification—an important credential in construction and manufacturing industries.
Completing the program required determination and resilience, especially during the blazing Arizona summer.
“I feel like finishing school was one of my proudest moments,” Lizethe recalled. “It was seven months in the dead heat of summer, in a warehouse, sweating and welding. There was fire, the heat from outside, the heat from the warehouse. Looking back now, I’m like, ‘Man, I really did that.’”
Behind that determination was a vision Lizethe had been building for years. Long before welding school, she began journaling about the life she hoped to create.
“I started writing everything down—every success and every setback,” she explained. “I’m always thinking, so journaling helped me process everything and stay focused on what I wanted.”
Through that reflection, Lizethe realized she didn’t just want a job—she wanted to create something meaningful with her hands.
“When I first started welding, I thought I was just going to be practicing beads,” she said. “But now I’ve built arches, tables, plaques, all kinds of things. It gives me so much creativity. I love designing things and seeing them come together.”
That creative spark is part of what keeps Lizethe passionate about the trade.
Working in a predominantly male field came with its own challenges. In her welding class of about 20 students, only two were women.
“It was still kind of small,” Lizethe said. “But it’s incredible to see more women and even high school girls starting to get into trades.”
Adjusting to the environment meant pushing through moments of doubt while staying true to herself.
“It was strange at first because I’d always worked in offices,” she explained. “Suddenly I was around construction workers and factory workers. I had moments where I questioned myself—am I good enough for this job?”
Yet, she refused to lose the parts of herself that made her feel confident.
“I’m a girly girl,” Lizethe laughed. “Even if I’m running late, I have to put on my mascara and lip gloss. That confused some people, but that’s just me.”
Over time, Lizethe realized that bringing her full self into the workplace was a strength.
“As a woman welder, I’m a creator,” she said proudly. “I’m building, I’m contributing, and I’m breaking barriers. When people think of a welder, they usually think of a man. But I’m showing my coworkers it can be done. I can get just as certified as you.”
Throughout her journey, Lizethe’s children have been her greatest motivation.
“My kids always keep me going,” she said. “Even on my hard days, they hug me and tell me everything is going to be okay. They’re my little angels.”
For Lizethe, the ability to provide for her family is deeply meaningful.
“Self-sufficiency means I can put gas in my car, buy groceries for my kids, and get their school supplies,” she said. “It means not worrying about the roof over our heads.”
Beyond financial stability, the journey has brought something even deeper: confidence and hope.
“[This journey] has made me feel empowered in a way I never imagined,” Lizethe said. “I’m making money I never thought I would, in a field I never imagined for myself. It gives me hope and dignity to keep moving forward and reaching new goals.”
Those goals are already reaching far beyond the ground.
“My next big dream is working on something that’s going to outer space,” Lizethe said with excitement. “When I think about welding, I think about building something that’s going to last way beyond me—something that might go to the moon or beyond…I feel like I’m putting my little signature out there into the universe and letting it fly away.”
Lizethe’s advice for other women considering a new path is simple:
“If you can see yourself doing it, if something in you gets excited when you think about it, it’s possible for you,” she said. “It’s going to come with challenges, but your power—even if it’s soft power—changes the whole place around you.”
Shortly after completing welding school, Lizethe’s persistence paid off. Just days after graduating, she received a call from an aerospace company inviting her to interview.
Within a week, she completed a rigorous multi-hour welding test and interview process—and landed the job.
“They took a shot on me,” Lizethe said. “I didn’t have the five years of experience they usually look for, but I showed up. I wasn’t scared.”
Lizethe began working in aerospace welding, repairing and building engine components that will eventually help aircraft take flight.
“We don’t see the finished plane,” she explained. “We see the beginning—molten metal turning into something that can fly.”
Continuing to advance in her career, Lizethe recently accepted a new role with Parker-Exotic Metals as an Exotic Metals Aerospace Welder, where she will train to become a certified exotic metals welder and build on her experience in the aerospace welding industry.
While she’s proud of how far she’s come, Lizethe knows her journey is only just beginning.
“I definitely want to get extremely skilled in aerospace,” she said. “My big goals are working on rockets and being part of something way bigger than I ever imagined.”
Looking back, Lizethe can clearly see how much her life has changed.
“Before Fresh Start, I was a little lost,” she said. “But now, after Fresh Start, I have clear goals. I have things to look forward to—and more growth to come.”