Women evolving in skilled trades...the sky is the limit for women in welding
When a woman graduates from welding school, the only uncertainty she may have is which job offer to accept. Despite common misconceptions to the contrary, welding can be a great career for women, for a number of reasons.
Why women?
There is currently a hug demand for welding personnel, and women fit into the picture well because they are typically fast learners, manually dexterous and reliable employees on the job. The demand comes from the fact that many welding personnel who have built their skills over a lifetime are presenting retiring, and there is a need to replace them. Combine this with the present and strong need to build and refurbish U.S. national infrastructure, and the opportunities become obvious.
Welding provides relatively high average pay, and there is typically little or no gap between male and female salaries in this field. According to the BLS, employment of welders is expected to grow by 8% from 2020-2030, matching the national average across all occupations.
Women proved their ability to handle tough construction and manufacturing jobs in filling labor shortages during World War II. Now, with the need for skilled welders again at a premium, many employers are specifically seeking women as a means of creating gender diversity in the workplace.
Why Wilco?
Wilco Welding Instructors, Nick Moran, Lisa Moran and Guadalupe Ruiz are leading the way on promoting females into a male career! The program is intended for students whom are considering a career in the Welding & related Industries that want quality hands on instruction. Bolingbrook High School senior, Stephanie Soriano-Batalla was selected as 1st Semester Student of the Quarter and is featured in this video.
Any way you look at it, the future looks bright for young people who are considering entering the welding field. And, as mentioned, this is especially true for non-traditional welding job candidates, such as women!
