Page 12 - Hobart Institute Fall 2019 World of Welding

Women in Welding
By Janet Piechocki

There are quite a few young women that have come through HIWT was employed in welding manufacturing in the U.S.A., and I could
over the years, but never as many as we have seen most recently. see that his life style was more prosperous than many others.
Hobart Institute currently has 17 ladies that have chosen the So, I reasoned that I want the better paying career, even if it was
welding field as a career. As a result, Hobart Institute is creating not traditional in the Asian culture. I successfully completed the
their first female welding group that will be meeting monthly. SMAW course and worked for one year in Manila as a pipe welder
During those meeting times the ladies will hear from past female for a construction company. At first, my coworkers were shocked
graduates that have chosen careers in the field. They will also get that a woman was working in a man-dominated career. However,
to learn about different jobs in the field and what type of knowledge when they saw the quality of my work, they were impressed. As
and skills it takes to do them. The best part is bonding with like- of January 2019, I am immigrated to the U.S.A. I am encouraged
minded women that have the same goals. by my family to become skilled and certified in as many welding
processes as possible so that my American job search goes well.”
We asked the ladies why they chose welding as a career and some
of them had some answers for us. Here is some of the feedback we Allison J Williams Delaware, OH: I chose my future career in
received from them: the welding industry because of my dad. When I was younger, I
was around & learned a lot about the construction industry. He has
Catalina King Tipp City, OH: As someone who’s always been art taught me many life lessons for in and out of the field. One thing
oriented, welding gives me a chance to create. I love working with he always wanted to learn more about was welding, so I ended up
my hands and welding allows me to make things that can be fun practicing welding at Delaware Area Career Center and absolutely
or functional. I started welding almost six years ago, I can say that fell in love with it. My dad had always told me, “Once you put
I have never gotten tired of it. It is my favorite stress reliever and that hood down, you’re now in your own world”, and honestly, he
hobby and soon, I hope to make it my career. couldn’t have been more right about that. He’s taught me to strive
for greatness even if other people around you don’t have that same
Jocelyn “Joyce” Shaw Manila, Philippines: Being a woman drive. And even though I’m a female in a male dominated industry,
welder is a challenge. I am not afraid of challenges. In my home my father has taught me to keep my chin up and that I can do
country, the Philippines, I was offered governmental vocational anything a man can & more.
training in one of several courses. Dress-making, culinary, care-
giver, and welding. I did not want woman traditional jobs because
they are low pay. My boyfriend at the time, and later my husband,

2019 FALL ISSUE - 12 - www.welding.org