This CNM Grad Landed a Great Welding Job After Attending New Mexico Women in Trades Summit

When Brianna Lewis attended the New Mexico Women in Trades Summit last year, she had no idea she’d be leaving with an interview at Kairos Power, a growing clean energy company.

“When I got to the Summit, Sharon Gordon-Moffit, the Dean for the School of Skilled Trades & Arts at the time, saw me and introduced me to the recruiter for Kairos Power,” Brianna explains. “I told her about my education and experience, and she gave me her phone number. By the end of the day, she texted me to set up my first interview for an entry-level welding position.”

Brianna’s path to becoming a full-time welder has been years in the making. After working as a bartender for 15 years, she worked as a security officer during the pandemic. Then in 2022, she decided to pursue her lifelong interest in welding and enrolled in CNM’s Welding program full-time.

Even though Brianna didn’t have a welding background, it didn’t take long to find her footing. She credits much of her success to her knowledgeable instructors.

“I came in completely green to welding, but the instructors took the time to teach me all the tricks of the trade,” she says. “They also helped me prepare leading up to my interview with Kairos Power, which helped me tremendously.”

After several rounds of interviews Brianna was hired at Kairos Power as an Associate Welder in June 2024, joining a crew of twelve other welders at the Kairos Manufacturing Development Center in Mesa Del Sol.

In her role, Brianna welds components for Kairos Power's fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor – a clean energy solution that can be deployed with robust safety at an affordable cost.

Kairos Power opened its Manufacturing Development Campus in Mesa Del Sol in 2020, and has created more than 146 full-time employees in Albuquerque. They are proud to partner with CNM, along with other schools and programs local to New Mexico including New Mexico Workforce Connection, UNM, NMSU, NM Tech, Santa Fe Community College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), and San Juan College. Kairos Power also offers an internship program that provides hands-on training, mentorship, and career development opportunities for students interested in clean energy.

With nine months at Kairos under her belt, Brianna is thriving and is improving her welding skills every day. She is also thankful for the support she’s received since joining the company.

“I really feel like we’re learning together, because I’m growing as a welder and Kairos Power is continuing to grow and expand too,” she says. “Every day presents a new challenge and I love it.”

Looking forward, Brianna hopes to continue to move through the ranks at Kairos Power and grow as a professional welder. She also wants to encourage other women to trust themselves and not be afraid to try something new.

“As a woman, especially in a trade, you will be thrown into a situation where you feel like you don’t know what to do,” she says. “But if you can calm your nerves and take it step-by-step, you’ll make it through.”

Want to attend the 2025 New Mexico Women in Trades Summit? The event is free, but registration is encouraged.