Building Skills to Spark Her Future

At 30 years old, Blinija Lark knew it was time for a change. A mother of two, she wanted a career that offered stability, growth and a future she could build with her own hands. Welding, once a short chapter in her past, became the path forward and now she is a welder for Valmont Industries, Inc.

“I had some experience welding before I took the class, but I came to Tulsa Tech to gain more experience and skills before seeking a job in the welding field,” Lark said.

Several years earlier, Lark spent just over three months working as a welder before stepping away to have a child.

She started as a Certified Nursing Assistant at 18, but over time, the medical field no longer felt like the right fit. Lark also worked as a security guard at the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center and has experience as an esthetician.

“I wanted to get out of the medical field and do something different,” she said. “I was interested in welding, watching videos on social media. I was young and wanted to try new things, but now I want to weld. It is a great way to provide for my family.”

Lark enrolled in Tulsa Tech’s welding program through a partnership with Madison Strategies Group, an organization that serves Tulsa communities through workforce development initiatives such as NextUp, JobsFirst, Due North and Retrain Tulsa. Through 17 weeks of industry training, Lark rebuilt her foundation and expanded far beyond her previous experience.

During the program, she earned certifications in Structural Welding, Box Header Welding, Pressure Vessel Welding and Laser Welding. She also developed skills that support real-world job readiness, including reading blueprints, working with fractions and even building drones, an unexpected challenge that sharpened her problem-solving abilities.

“I really had forgotten what I did know about welding,” Lark said. “My instructors taught me new techniques, how to run my machine, how to maintain it and how to fix it.”

Those instructors, Josh Weise and Andrew Murphy, watched Lark push through a demanding program designed to test both skill and endurance. Weise said the structure of the program reveals who is willing to do the work.

“It’s a lot of hard work doing this job,” Weise said. “It gets harder as we progress. This program has three phases. You go through the first phase, and if you can make it there, you go on to the second, then on to the third.”

Lark did more than advance. She stood out.

“She’s pushed through with tenacity, dedication and hard work,” Weise said. “She pushed through the hard and kept going. She has what it takes to not only do the hard stuff, but she’s also shown leadership skills within the class. She has an excellent attitude for this type of environment and she’s going to do great things moving forward.”

For Lark, the program delivered more than certifications. It restored confidence and opened doors to a career she can grow into while supporting her family.

“If you are interested in welding, you should come to Tulsa Tech and be a part of this program,” she said. “They have great instructors, and you learn a lot of different techniques that will help you be a great welder.”

With steady hands, renewed purpose and a clear goal ahead, Lark is building a future forged by skill, persistence and choice.