The two women first met 10 years ago while working in the restaurant industry and became best friends. And who better to share a career change with than your best friend?
So when both were ready for a new direction in life, they took the plunge together, signing up for the machining program at Ivy Tech Community College’s East Chicago campus. Last month, they shared a celebration after crossing the stage at commencement.
Julia Moncada, 34, and Lori Naranjo, 36, are both earning certificates in Machine Tool Technology.
“I was ready for a different path,” said Moncada, who is originally from Hammond but now lives in Wanatah. “I feel very blessed to do this because my grandfather was a machinist. I think it’s amazing to be in a male-dominant field.”
“I wanted something more for myself,” Naranjo, of Valparaiso, said. “I had taken one college class right after high school but decided it wasn’t the right time for me.”
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Before deciding to give the world of machining a try, Naranjo researched the career in-depth, including reading comments from women in the field. What they had to say encouraged her.
“I would be lying if I said a small part of me wasn’t intimidated,” she admitted, “but I thought of it as an opportunity to challenge myself. We felt we had to work that much harder to prove ourselves. I never thought I had the confidence to go back to school. Since high school, there was a little voice saying, ‘you can’t.’ I can now say “I can, and I DID! It was a very proud moment.”
The machining program is offered in part thanks to Skill Up Indiana!, a grant provided by the Department of Workforce Development.
Moncada and Naranjo each have two more courses to complete this summer. Both are on track to graduate summa cum laude. Both also are the first in their families to graduate from college, so they’re glad that they have had each other to lean on.
“They stood out because they were both outspoken. They set out to accomplish this training together and have been successful since the start,” Danielle Harris, Workforce Alignment program manager, said. “Each time I visited the class, they were there motivating each other. It is always best to have a partner rather than to go through a new venture like this alone.”
“It’s super cool to be doing this together,” Moncada said. “The program is very challenging and you really have to be dedicated. All of this has been an amazing experience.”
Donna Kiesling is a marketing assistant for Ivy Tech Community College.