The year is 2021, and we are still facing inequality in some professions. While a lot has been achieved to provide equal opportunity for everyone in so many different careers, welding remains at the bottom of the bucket.
But this too is changing.
What am I talking about?
There is only 1% of female welders in the US.
That's about 5000 employed female welders.
But even if this seems incredibly small as obviously, the other 99% are male...
The light at the end of the tunnel shines brighter every day. That's because this trade is changing fast.
There has been a significant jump of 30% in female welder numbers just between 2016 and 2019.
Women are picking up the tools of the trade fast and for a good reason.
Working with your hands, travel opportunities, excitement on the job, high salaries... You name it; the welding world has it.
There is something magical that we are quickly forgetting about getting out there on the site and working with basic materials, whether it's wood, concrete, or metal. To those that can't stand sitting in front of a desk all day, a career like welding could be a dream coming true. Working with various metals surrounded in engaging conditions is never going to have you bored.
Not to mention high monetary compensation. If you are a good welder, you can expect to earn a high salary. Depending on where you work and your position, you could earn up to 100k a year and sometimes even more.
Keep in mind that welding is also a dangerous job that requires a lot of responsibility. Still, on the other side, that is where the excitement lurks(and money). If you are into things that require you to be focused, then this is a career for you.
Alright, you might be interested so far, but there is more. It turns out that women are naturally better in this line of work. This, of course, differs on a case-by-case basis as everyone has a distinct personality. Still, some things seem to be uniform for women welders.
First off, it is a scientific fact that women's hands shake much less than men's do. This makes them perfect for high-precision jobs such as TIG welding. TIG welding also happens to be highly paid and the safest welding method of them all. It also doesn't require any special physical strength, and it is a relatively clean job. You won't be in harsh conditions most of the time if you do TIG only. An excellent choice for women that are not into severe working conditions.
But what if you are into it?
Well, as it turns out, women are also better at maintaining balance than men, thanks to their unique bodyweight distribution. This is really beneficial when working in challenging situations like welding on high altitudes in a tight spot while having to do overhead welding with a high-temperature flux welding process. Women can handle balance better in such situations, which helps them complete the job faster, more precisely, and safer.
This is a tough job, but women can do it too. Many successful female welders dared to get their hands on welding equipment, which changed their lives for the better.
This is not to say that all women should seek work like welding, but if you are a woman drawn to working with your hands, then give it a shot and see what happens. Maybe it will take you down a path of a highly successful career.
Adam Mason is a certified welder for a decade and more. But welder in heart since the day he entered his father shop all those years ago. He welded on most types of machines and tackled with all 4 main welding processes. From recently he is also a welding instructor and as you can see a blogger too. He wants to help people find themselves in this line of work and achieve excellent welding and career results.