He joined as a welder, thought it was just another job. That job got him a Rs 10 crore jackpot in 10 years. Thanks to SpaceX IPO

Employee stock ownership has once again shown how a regular job can lead to unexpected wealth. Juan Hernandez, who joined SpaceX as a welder in 2015 without knowing much about the company, has seen his modest stock grant grow into a fortune worth nearly Rs 10 crore after the rocket maker's historic stock market debut. His story is now drawing attention as thousands of current and former employees benefit from the company's blockbuster IPO.

Hernandez joined SpaceX after hearing about an opening from a friend. At the time, he viewed it as just another job opportunity. More than a decade later, the shares he received as part of his employment package have become the foundation of a life-changing financial windfall.

According to CBS News, Hernandez currently owns around 6,500 SpaceX shares. After the company began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, the stock closed at $160.95 on its first trading day. At that price, his holdings were valued at more than $1 million, or roughly Rs 9.95 crore.

A job he knew almost nothing about

The former welder said his introduction to SpaceX came through a friend who had already been hired by the company. At the time, Hernandez was unfamiliar with the business but decided to give it a chance.

"It was just another contract job for me at the time," he told CBS News correspondent Jo Ling Kent.

Recalling his decision to join the company, he said, "I thought in my head, I don't know what SpaceX is, but let's go."

When Hernandez was hired, SpaceX offered him a stock package worth about $10,000. Since his previous hourly jobs had never included stock ownership, he did not pay much attention to the benefit.

"It wasn't a big deal. I didn't know anything about it then," he told CBS News. "I didn't know it was gonna be this big, at this point."

Rising through the company

During his years at SpaceX, Hernandez worked on launch infrastructure projects, helping build structures that support rockets before liftoff. Over time, he moved up within the organisation and eventually became a supervisor.

He believes employee ownership plays a major role in motivating workers because it gives them a direct stake in the company's future.

"They will perform a lot better because, I mean, it is, it's their company as well," he said.

Reports also indicate that Hernandez regularly purchased additional SpaceX shares from his salary over the years, increasing his overall stake in the company before its public listing.

Wealth has not changed his plans

Despite becoming a millionaire on paper, Hernandez has no intention of stepping away from work. He now works at Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, and says he wants to continue building a career while teaching his children the value of investing.

His 16-year-old daughter has already started investing and owns shares in several companies.

"She's a little entrepreneur herself," he said.

The former SpaceX employee also reflected on the broader impact of the company's stock ownership programme. According to reports, thousands of current and former employees are expected to become millionaires following the IPO, while hundreds could hold stock packages worth more than $100 million.

Hernandez said that if he ever had the opportunity to speak directly with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, he would thank him for creating opportunities that extended beyond executives and major investors.

"He made it a possibility for somebody like us, you know, the cook or … electrician," Hernandez said. "He's making all these lives much better and meaningful for their families as well."