{"id":44,"date":"2026-01-15T21:56:20","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T21:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T15:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T15:12:17","slug":"guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/","title":{"rendered":"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Jacinto College adjunct welding instructor Sharon Guerrero stands in a welding bay at the North Campus, surrounded by sparks and steel. At 27, she\u2019s mastered a trade that satisfies her curiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI used to look at structures and wonder, \u2018How do they build that?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cNow I know how and what tools they used.\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Raised near Houston, Guerrero first enrolled at San Jac as a dual credit student in the pharmacy tech program, but due <\/span>to circumstances beyond her control, she wasn\u2019t able to finish. Working as a server after high school, she felt stuck <\/span>and unfulfilled.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"San

Sharon Guerrero<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Welding had fascinated her, but the profession\u2019s stereotype as \u201cmen\u2019s work\u201d kept her from pursuing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Everything changed when Guerrero was 23. Her childhood best friend died suddenly of a heart attack related to pre-existing health conditions. It became a defining moment in her life.<\/span><\/p>\n

The loss was devastating and disorienting and forced her to reassess her path: \u201cI felt like I hadn\u2019t done anything that I felt accomplished about. I hadn\u2019t tried anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She thought back to the program she had almost chosen years earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to try welding, but I never did because I thought it wasn\u2019t for me,\u201d she said. \u201cI just thought, \u2018I\u2019m going to try it. What\u2019s the worst that could happen? I fail, and I quit? Life is too short not to take big steps.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2020, Guerrero finally enrolled in San Jac\u2019s welding program. The training not only challenged her in unexpected ways but also satisfied her deep curiosity about how things work while combining industrial skill with artistic expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I enjoy the most is that it\u2019s more than just a job. Welding is also art,\u201d she said. \u201cEven in regular jobs where you\u2019re just welding a pipe, it has this art to it. When it\u2019s done correctly, it comes out very beautifully.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But welding also meant stepping into a workspace where she was often the only woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would ask some guys who have been there 20 years, \u2018How many other girls have worked here before me?\u2019 A lot of times, I would have been the first one,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

The experience taught her hard lessons about workplace dynamics and self-advocacy. Many male colleagues wanted to help, but their protectiveness could feel patronizing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe men were overprotective about things I could easily do myself, always worried I\u2019d get hurt,\u201d she said. \u201cI would get mad and be like, \u2018Do you think I can\u2019t do it?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Over time, she learned to distinguish between support and condescension, accepting help offered in good faith while maintaining her independence and proving her capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

After earning her degree in 2022 and gaining field experience, Guerrero was invited to teach part time. Now, she supports students, especially women, who may feel out of place.<\/span><\/p>\n

With over 120,000 followers on her Instagram, @miss.welds, she partners with welding brands to showcase women in skilled trades and inspire others to try the unexpected. The woman who once felt stuck now embraces the unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe feeling of doing something different is nice,\u201d Guerrero said. \u201cUsually, when I try something new, I like it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Guerrero\u2019s journey isn\u2019t just about her career \u2014 it\u2019s about transformation. From grief came purpose, from doubt came confidence, and from steel came sparks. She has forged her own path.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn more about the San Jac’s welding technology program<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

By Melissa Trevizo<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

San Jacinto College adjunct welding instructor Sharon Guerrero stands in a welding bay at the North Campus, surrounded by sparks and steel. At 27, she\u2019s mastered a trade that satisfies her curiosity. \u201cI used to look at structures and wonder, \u2018How do they build that?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cNow I know how and what tools they… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":73,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1,11],"tags":[],"article_type":[],"class_list":["post-44","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-instructor-spotlight","category-uncategorized","category-welding"],"yoast_head":"\nGuerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0 - Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"San Jacinto College adjunct welding instructor Sharon Guerrero stands in a welding bay at the North Campus, surrounded by sparks and steel. At 27, she\u2019s mastered a trade that satisfies her curiosity. \u201cI used to look at structures and wonder, \u2018How do they build that?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cNow I know how and what tools they... read more\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-15T21:56:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-21T15:12:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cmorris\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cmorris\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/\",\"name\":\"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0 - Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-15T21:56:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-21T15:12:17+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/7be5bce9c0ff45d685592f0e586086d8\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"San Jacinto College welding instructor Sharon Guerrero.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/\",\"name\":\"Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/7be5bce9c0ff45d685592f0e586086d8\",\"name\":\"cmorris\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9045624ec36d6a26bc9bf21507c7f4a5c0a976dd9a328cbf036b1eda0be7794?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9045624ec36d6a26bc9bf21507c7f4a5c0a976dd9a328cbf036b1eda0be7794?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"cmorris\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/author\/cmorris\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0 - Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0","og_description":"San Jacinto College adjunct welding instructor Sharon Guerrero stands in a welding bay at the North Campus, surrounded by sparks and steel. At 27, she\u2019s mastered a trade that satisfies her curiosity. \u201cI used to look at structures and wonder, \u2018How do they build that?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cNow I know how and what tools they... read more","og_url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/","og_site_name":"Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1","article_published_time":"2026-01-15T21:56:20+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-21T15:12:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"cmorris","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"cmorris","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/","url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/","name":"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0 - Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-15T21:56:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-21T15:12:17+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/7be5bce9c0ff45d685592f0e586086d8"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/02\/Welding_800.jpg","width":800,"height":400,"caption":"San Jacinto College welding instructor Sharon Guerrero."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/guerrero-forges-path-with-purpose-and-precision\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Guerrero\u00a0forges path with purpose and precision\u00a0"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/","name":"Spring 2026, Volume 7 \u2013 Issue 1","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/7be5bce9c0ff45d685592f0e586086d8","name":"cmorris","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9045624ec36d6a26bc9bf21507c7f4a5c0a976dd9a328cbf036b1eda0be7794?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f9045624ec36d6a26bc9bf21507c7f4a5c0a976dd9a328cbf036b1eda0be7794?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"cmorris"},"url":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/author\/cmorris\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44\/revisions\/76"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/spring-2026-volume-7-issue-1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=44"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}