“It’s like putting on makeup. You need precision when you line your eyes, and I use the same concentration when I’m trying to keep my bead in a straight line.”
At age 46, Pamela Hasley talks the talk about welding. She grew up in a family with welders, and worked in a shipyard as a fire watch, a job that didn’t give her the paycheck she needed. After comparing wages with welders, she set her mind to learn the skills they knew, and earn the money they earned.
Welding is mostly about eye-hand coordination, not about physical strength,” said Ken McDonald, Lab Technician for Continuing Education’s welding program. “The women learn the skills right along beside the men, and can do just as well.”
Motivation to find a job with a good wage is a big reason women choose to enroll in nontraditional programs and seek employment in nontraditional industries such as welding and automotive. Hasley is determined to succeed, and plans to complete the welding program in June 2010. She has already placed applications with potential employers including BAE and NASSCO, and with proof of skills in-hand, she hopes to finally earn the wage she’s had her eyes on for years.
“You have to visually place yourself where you want to be,” she said. “I can already see the paycheck.”
Hasley shares her goal with classmate Monicka Bolden who is also mastering the skills needed to enter the welding industry. Bolden sees herself succeeding one day in a leadership position as an inspector or a lead foreman. “I’m as skilled and capable as the men,” she says.
Bolden is also a role model for her five children. “I’m not worried about my son,” she says. “I need to set an example for my daughters so they know they can do anything they want to do—and anything a man can do.”
Less than 100 yards away, Continuing Education’s automotive program is in full swing. Among the heavy equipment, auto bays and a giant tool warehouse, student Cynthia Roberts, has run out to buy bolts, and the guys wait for her return to make the next repair.
At age 28, Roberts has already stood on the side of the road with a broken down vehicle for the last time. Determined to know for herself how cars actually work, she entered the auto technician program.
Initially, Roberts’ only intent was to learn skills needed to repair her own car. Now she’s enjoying the program, and mastering the skills. “I’m getting an A in engines,” she says. “I plan to get an A in brakes as well.”
“Women are usually successful students,” said Instructor Howard Bass. “Many find they can go beyond the shop work into management positions.”
Roberts is on track to complete the auto program in May 2010, and her success may motivate her to look for employment in the trade. “Maybe a service writer, or a technician,” she says. “I’m still finding my way.” She may also consider an Associate’s degree in an automotive field.
Roberts is an inspiration to fellow student Kate Titarenko, who has recently enrolled in the program. Titarenko completed four years of coursework toward a Bachelor’s degree at Belarus State University in Belarus. Now, at age 26, her goal is to become fully knowledgeable about what it takes to be an auto technician. If she likes what she learns, she may pursue a job in the industry.
“It’s not about being female, she says. “It’s about what I’m interested in.”