Graduate Connections – Meet Jared Nunez

Jared, 29, was born and raised in Honolulu, HI, but moved to Jacksonville in February 2017. He completed the seven-month Refrigeration Technologies (RT) program at Tulsa Welding School in Jacksonville in March 2026.

Thanks for your time, Jared. What brought you from Hawaii to Florida?

For me, it came down to how things were run back home. The cost of living and taxes in Hawaii are extremely high. Some people say it’s just because of imports, but I felt there were bigger issues behind it. That was the main reason I decided to leave.

You were 21 when you moved. What did you do after high school until enrolling at TWS last year?

After high school, I worked as an Apple vendor for Navy Exchange for about three years. After that, I tried different jobs and eventually ended up working in the deli at Publix. I worked there from 2018 until August 2025. I got fired from that job, and that same day, I decided to sign up for Tulsa Welding School.

Were you thinking about going to trade school, or was that a spur-of-the-moment decision?

It was a bit of both. It might seem sudden, but the idea had already been in the back of my mind. I knew I wasn’t going to stay in the deli long-term. A few months earlier, I was talking with a friend, Brian, who also ended up going to TWS a month after me. He mentioned HVAC, and at the time I didn’t even know what it was. That conversation got me curious. I started researching it and thought, “If I can make more doing this, why not?” So, when I lost my job, I acted on it. I signed up online, then a few days later I met with a counselor – Ms. Kimberly, worked out my financial aid, and got officially enrolled. I started class within about a week.

Did you consider other programs, like welding or electrical, or were you set on RT from the start?

I was pretty set on Refrigeration Technologies. At that point, I didn’t know much about the other trades. Now that I’ve gone through the program, I might go back later and add a few months of electrical classes to complete the Electro-Mechanical Technologies (EMT) program or expand more into Electrical or maybe something else, but Refrigeration was my entry point.

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Looking back on your time in the program, what did you enjoy most?

Honestly, the people. Making friends with others who had the same interests was huge for me. I learned a lot from my classmates and built good relationships with instructors too. It’s a very collaborative environment – everyone helps each other, and that made a big difference.

And how important was the hands-on aspect for you?

Very important. The program is much more hands-on than anything I’d done before. That’s part of why I did so well. I ended up with a 4.0 GPA which I never managed in high school. Once I got into it, it felt very natural for me.

Did you try college before this?

I did, briefly. I attended Honolulu Community College for less than a semester right after high school, but it just wasn’t for me, so I dropped out.

Did you always know you wanted to go into the trades?

No, actually. Before this, I wanted to be a musician; I still do. I’ve been singing and playing music for a long time. I’m even singing the national anthem at our TWS graduation next month. Now I feel like I’ve got two skill sets – music and a trade -and that gives me options.

That’s a great position to be in. Did you find the RT program challenging, or did it come easy to you?

I’d say it was about 50/50. Starting something completely new is always challenging, especially because a lot of the material felt like learning a new language. But I stayed motivated. I actually found it a lot easier than high school or college because it’s a lot more hands-on. I follow people like Gary Vaynerchuk, and that mindset helped me push through. I had to double down – study more, practice more – but that effort made it feel manageable overall.

Where are you working now?

I just started working at IEM – Industrial Electrical Manufacturing in April. I got the opportunity through a recruiting agency called Aerotek. Right now, I’m in a 90-day training period through Aerotek, and after that I’ll transition to working directly for IEM.

Did TWS Career Services help you land that role?

Yes, they did. I had applied to around 80 or 90 HVAC jobs on my own and went through several interviews, but nothing stuck. So, I reached out to Ms. Terri and Ms. Marilyn in Career Services for help. They asked if I was willing to look outside my comfort zone, and when I said yes, they suggested I look into Aerotek. That’s how I got connected to IEM. They helped point me in the right direction, and I took it from there.

How does the pay compare to what you were making before?

I’m starting at $17 an hour during training, but I know it’ll get drastically higher as I prove my worth and gain more experience. At Publix, I started at $10.25 and left seven-years later at $19.25. So, it’s a little lower right now, but I see it as an investment. They are paying me to learn right now. After my 90 days, I expect my pay to increase to around $20, and the long-term earning potential is much higher than what I had before working in a deli.

That long-term mindset is key. What’s your career plan from here?

I don’t like to plan too far ahead – I prefer to play my cards smart and adjust as I go. But right now, I’m really enjoying IEM, and I can see myself staying there long-term. The schedule is great – 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM,   Monday through Friday – and that gives me time for other things in life.

What kind of work are you doing there?

I’ve only been there, in training, for about a week. But right now, I’m cross-training in different areas. So far, I’ve been working on constructing electrical panels  – taking sheet metal and assembling units. It’s hands-on and technical, and I’m learning a lot quickly.

Not so much the job, but the whole idea of RT, what do you enjoy most about working in this field?

I really enjoy the investigative side – figuring out problems and how to fix them. Troubleshooting. But more than anything, I like being hands-on. I’ve developed a real interest in electricity. It feels like a new skill, a new kind of power that I can build on.

Are you still in touch with people from your class?

Yes, I am. I still have contact with several classmates, as well as some instructors and counselors. There are a few people I wish I’d stayed in touch with – and I might try to find a way to reconnect with them through the school – but overall, I’ve kept a solid network and that’s really important in this field.

What advice would you give to someone about to start at Tulsa Welding School?

Try it out. That’s the biggest thing. Go for it. After getting fired from a job that was going nowhere, I went into Tulsa Welding School without knowing anything about the trades, and that decision completely changed my life. I discovered that the trades are valuable and hard to replace – you can’t automate everything. It takes hard work, but if you stick with the grit and grind, and find the thrill in it, it’s absolutely worth it.

If you’re a TWS graduate and would like to share your success and be an inspiration to others, please email [email protected] to be considered for a Graduate Connection interview. Please include details such as your graduation date (month/year), program, and campus name (Tulsa/Jacksonville/Houston/Dallas).