From First Day to Full-Time: Fernando Baltazar's Journey at Kuraray America

Every career begins somewhere, and lasting careers are built through learning, collaboration, and people who are willing to share what they've learned. That's a defining part of the internship experience at Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI).

For our 9th and final installment of From First Day To Full-Time, meet:

🪪 Fernando Baltazar
👥 KAI Intern Cohort 2024
🏫 University of St. Thomas (TX)
📜 B.S., Mechanical Engineering
💼 Mechanical Engineer, EVAL, Pasadena, TX

Fernando began his KAI journey by helping establish a spare-parts program at the KPAC site. This project gave him the opportunity to take ownership of work tied to a real operational need and begin developing the discipline required to carry an engineering project forward.

What helped turn that assignment into a lasting career foundation was the support surrounding him. Bryce Smith, George Richey, Joseph Burton, GSP and David Steele shared their knowledge, guided him through new challenges, and gave him practical tools he could continue using long after the internship ended.

Fernando’s internship taught him how to approach problems thoughtfully, ask deeper questions, and grow into the level of responsibility he now carries as a Mechanical Engineer at EVAL.

Fernando's journey reinforces that taking the time to understand the work, learning from those around you, and building confidence step by step can open doors far beyond a single internship.

Watch the video to hear more about Fernando’s transition from intern to Mechanical Engineer.

Explore opportunities at KAI and discover where meaningful work, supportive teams and continued development could lead. (Click here)

As we conclude From First Day To Full-Time, we celebrate the nine employees who shared their journeys and the mentors, managers and colleagues whose guidance helped turn early opportunities into lasting careers.