The following article was originally published in the May edition of NextOp Veterans Monthly Update. 
Jena Segura is an Army Veteran, South Texas native, and one of eight veterans who attended the Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF)'s 2019 Ready For Industry: Boot Camp in April. After her military service, she decided to start a new career in the construction Industry. She enrolled in welding school and has not looked back ever since. After initially trying to land her next career on her own, she found that it was more challenging than she had anticipated. Realizing that she might need help getting her foot in the door, she took advantage of NextOp’s connections to hiring managers and registered to attend the RFI: Boot Camp.
Jena stood out from the rest of her peers and proved that she was committed to starting her career in the construction industry when she drove six hours from her hometown of Weslaco, TX to La Porte, TX where the event was being held. She arrived early each day, had a positive attitude, and really impressed the employers in attendance. Jena did not obtain a job directly after the seminar due to conflicts with location and the personnel needs for current projects. However, this did not discourage her from pursuing her career in construction. She stayed in contact with the employers she interviewed with and continued her job search.
Two weeks after the event, Jena was hired by Turner Industries, one of the employers she had kept in contact with. She has now started her next career as a Pipefitter Helper Level 2 and is excited to continue growing as a professional. This is a great example of how commitment, patience, and perseverance can play a big factor when you are searching for your next career!
Ready For Industry: Boot Camp is a 3½-day seminar for military veterans that introduces participants to the duties and expectations of workers in the construction industry. At the end of the seminar, participants are given the opportunity to interview with various construction companies for the possibility of obtaining employment.
