skip to main content
Marcos Serratos
Marcos Serratos
01:16

Marcos Serratos

College of Western Idaho

Nampa, ID USA

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Career Roadmap

Marcos's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Teaching / Mentoring

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Instructor, Heavy Duty Truck Program

I teach aspiring diesel technicians at a community college.

My Day to Day

Five days a week for four hours a day, I teach a cohort of students theory of diesel technology. I lecture and then we apply the theory in lab through hands-on practice. After class, I grade papers, create new lab tasks and lesson plans, or attend meetings. I'm a CWI senator for the diesel department. This allows me to voice the department's concerns or needs to school officials. I also visit high schools or meet with programs, like LatinX, to share the career opportunities our program offers.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

As an undocumented immigrant, I had a lot of people tell me no. People told me I won't make it and that certain things aren't for me. After receiving my DACA status, I knew it was time for me to show those people that I can do it. I went back to school at community college with the mindset that I would buckle down, get good grades, and accomplish my goals. I looked for my culture—students who were like me—and got involved.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Associate's Degree

    Diesel Mechanics Technology

    College of Western Idaho

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    I immigrated to the U.S. with my parents when I was three years old and grew up in Stockton, California.

  • 2.

    I didn’t know anything was different about me until high school, when I realized that being undocumented was going to prevent me from achieving certain goals.

  • 3.

    After high school, I wanted to go to college, but couldn’t because I was undocumented—so I took dishwashing, construction, and grocery jobs to get by.

  • 4.

    I eventually received my DACA status and finally felt like I could breathe and go about life normally.

  • 5.

    I moved with my family to Idaho and decided to go back to school.

  • 6.

    I attended community college at the College of Western Idaho, where I studied diesel mechanics technology.

  • 7.

    While in college, I started building my career as a diesel technician.

  • 8.

    I now work at the College of Western Idaho as a heavy duty diesel instructor.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    You can't do it. You can't make it. This isn't for you.

  • How I responded:

    As an undocumented immigrant, I had a lot of people tell me no. People told me I won't make it and that certain things aren't for me. After receiving my DACA status, I knew it was time for me to show those people that I can do it. I went back to school at community college with the mindset that I would buckle down, get good grades, and accomplish my goals. I looked for my culture—students who were like me—and got involved.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I came to the U.S. when I was three years old. Being undocumented prevented me from achieving certain goals. I was depressed and felt like I was living in a cage. When I received my DACA status, I was able to go to college and pursue a life I wanted.

  • Going to school while working and taking care of a family was a huge challenge. School and work took all of my time. I was honest with my family and told them I'd just need two years to get through school and that all would be better in the end.

Related Leaders

No related leaders found