Virginia Martinez
Technical Employment Training, Inc.
San Bernardino, CA USA
"Don’t second guess yourself. There’s a reason why you’re there."
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Virginia's work combines: Engineering, Education, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
If you want to get into the manufacturing industry, I recommend a training program like Technical Employment Training. We teach students the fundamental skills they need to go into any career within the vast manufacturing industry. Whether you want to go into automotive or medical, or another niche, you need to start with fundamental skills. I also recommend learning a little about all the different sectors of manufacturing. Knowing all the ins and outs of the industry is best for success.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I took a machine shop class in high school, which sparked my interest in manufacturing.
2.
I liked the machine shop but had plans to become a lawyer—I thought it would be best to learn a trade that could put me through law school and help pay for tuition.
3.
I took engineering classes at a local community college and started working part-time in a manufacturing facility at 15.
4.
Navigating a male-dominated industry, I earned respect through hard work and learning various aspects of manufacturing.
5.
I transitioned to Technical Employment Training where I found my calling in helping others find careers in manufacturing.
6.
Now, as president of operations at TET, I ensure our training program aligns with industry standards, offering students valuable credentials.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
You can't succeed here because you're a woman.
How I responded:
I started in the manufacturing industry when I was very young, and I'm a woman. As a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I experienced a lot of Noise and discrimination. There were times that I was left wondering why my peers were so mean. I learned that they weren't mean—they just weren't used to someone like me. It was new. I found success by putting in a lot of hard work, respecting the men around me, learning as much as I could, and riding the coattails of the women who came before me.