MORENO VALLEY, Calif. — Behind the mask, every welder is judged by their skill.

It’s an art that many are learning as part of a continuation class program for adults offered through the Riverside County Office of Education at Moreno Valley High School.

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As soon as she takes the mask off, Yessenia Zazueta stands out as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

“Why not welding? Welding, you could manufacture your own stuff. You can build whatever you want, whenever you want,” said Zazueta.

Zazueta is 22, and like her peers, she’s passionate about learning the skills to get a job in a growing industry.

According the the Bureau of Labor, in the coming years the nation’s aging infrastructure will require welders to help rebuild bridges and highways, for instance.

But Zazueta represents a very small minority within the profession. Only 5 percent of welders in the U.S. are women.

“It’s something I was passionate about, and it’s something that I wanted to wake up to and do every day," said Zazueta.

Part of what makes this program so successful is it’s affordability. For $750, students get nine weeks worth of classes with an instructor who’s been in the industry for decades.

Daniel Gipson began welding in the 1980s. Today he’s an inspector, overseeing projects at the likes of LAX.

He did it all without a four-year degree.

“This is not the only type of welding. You have TIG welding, robotics... this right here is a stepping stone and a catalyst to get the students to where they need to be,” said Gipson.

For Zazueta, who comes to practice her craft even on her days off from the class, welding represents her opportunity to build a life.

“Now that I know what I’m doing, there’s no one that can shame me for doing what I like,” Zazueta said.

Her future is firmly in her hands.