鈥淣ow, don鈥檛 stop.鈥�
For most of his teenage years, Luis Sigala believed school wasn鈥檛 meant for him. Growing
up in Pecos, he was certain he would work in the oilfield just like his father, so
halfway through his senior year of high school, he dropped out and went straight to
work as a roustabout. His father hadn鈥檛 graduated high school either, and as Luis
stepped into the same company, he figured a diploma wasn鈥檛 necessary for the future
he envisioned.
But the oilfield didn鈥檛 go easy on him.
His father made sure of that.
His father made sure of that.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 make anything easier for me,鈥� Luis said. 鈥淓ventually he asked, 鈥業s this
what you want to do for the next 20 years?鈥欌�� That question stuck with him. For the
next decade, Luis worked long hours in the heat, the cold, and the unforgiving conditions
of contract labor. He grew more aware if he wanted a different future, he needed a
different path.
He applied to Chevron, drawn by the opportunities for advancement and long-term stability.
But when they saw he didn鈥檛 have his high school diploma, his application was rejected.
That 鈥渘o鈥� became a turning point.
Luis committed to earning his GED鈥攂ut life didn鈥檛 slow down to make room for school.
He was working full time, married, and starting a family. Classes were hard to attend,
and the dream kept getting pushed aside. Still, he continued his contract work, and
six years later, he was hired by Chevron based on his strong performance and experience.
His supervisor鈥檚 message was clear:
鈥淚 need you to get your GED, though.鈥�
This time, Luis was ready. With the unwavering encouragement of his wife, he enrolled
in GED classes and began chipping away at the coursework鈥攁fter full workdays, on weekends,
and in every spare moment he could find.
鈥淚 had to make the time for it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 needed my GED for myself and for my kids.
My 10-year-old son asked me if I graduated from high school. I wanted to set a good
example for him鈥攈e knew my wife had, and she even completed her associate and bachelor鈥檚
degrees.鈥�
The reading portions were the toughest for him, but Luis refused to quit. Slowly,
steadily, he improved.
In November 2024, his dedication was rewarded when he was promoted to production specialist鈥攁
role that took him out of the field and into a high-tech control environment. Now,
he works alongside a team of specialists, monitoring the activity of Chevron sites
across the Permian Basin using advanced software tools on 13 different computer monitors.
鈥淚 love what I do. Chevron trained me for this,鈥� he said.
A year later, in October, Luis took his final GED test. When the results arrived,
he was at home.
鈥淚 passed! I was jumping up and down and laughing. I called my wife鈥攕he started crying.
We were so happy. I finally finished it.鈥�
Today, his GED certificate hangs proudly by the front door.
鈥淚 look at it and smile every morning as I go to work,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t means so much
to me.鈥�
Luis now has his sights set on a leadership or supervisor role at Chevron. With every
step forward, he hears the voices that kept him going鈥攈is wife, his supervisor, and
his own inner resolve reminding him:
鈥淒on鈥檛 stop. Get your associate鈥檚 degree now.鈥�