TC class teaches women to weld

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Now this may not be highly technical welding that most of the professionals on this site would be impressed with, but am passing this along for a general interest in welding that most people may not be aware or.  They may have more talent than you think. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TC class teaches women to weldInstructor: Men are welcome, tooBy: Marie Martin - Texarkana Gazette -Published: 02/16/2009Instructor Jill Yates inspects sheet metal Thursday night before Texarkana College’s Welding for Womens’ class.img]http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/02/16/WomensWeldingCenterPiece.jpg[/img]nstructor Jill Yates watches the sparks fly as Carla Curry welds Thursday night at TC.Yolanda Norris prepares to cut shapes, including flowers and butterflies, from sheet metal using a plasma welder Thursday night at TC.Yolanda Norris cuts sheet metal with a plasma welder Thursday night. Norris was making a Valentine’s Day present for her boyfriend.Carla Curry cuts metal to weld Thursday night during Texarkana College’s Welding for Women class. See 3A for more photos. The smells and sounds of a welding garage rarely include perfume and giggles, but at Texarkana College’s Welding for Women class, it’s a common occurrence. Instructor Jill Yates looks like she belongs on the cover of Vogue rather than under a welding helmet.  “The more I learn about it, the more I am delving into the side of metalology that is very helpful to my career,” said Yates who is a professional visual artist.  Yates became interested in welding when she wanted to expand her artistic abilities in metal and clay sculpting. Her interest in art started in high school in the mid-1990s. “When I took my first class I was the only woman ... ,” said the 1995 Pleasant Grove High School graduate. Before long, Yates said, she became a member of a TC welding class crew. That was four years ago, since then, she has become proficient in the craft and substitutes for her welding instructor, David Smart.  During Thursday’s class of only women—although men are encourage to join—the students were using various welding tools to finish personal projects.  Student Carla Curry, who works as a secretary, commercial cleaner and nail technician, used a chop saw to cut steel. She’s making a welding table for home.  "I love an adventure," Curry said. She took the class hoping she can eventually build a carport with her Lincoln welder, she said. "I like tinkering with things.”  Yates said she encourages students to use their imagination, especially when looking at a heap of metal scrap.  Student Yolanda Norris, a Red River Army Depot finance technician by day, prepared to cut out a sign design for her boyfriend’s hog farm using a plasma tool.  "We drew this design. It's of a hog and some dogs," she said. Norris said she will cut the aluminum, attach it to a piece of steel and add letters. She said she’ll add this to her long list of skills. Norris has taken several night classes at TC and said the Continuing Education courses have given her skills to become a cosmetologist and a cake designer. Yates, standing with a welding helmet, steel-toed boots and a long-sleeved shirt, said recycling is the best part of being a welder.  "I get my best ideas from the various metals things I see. I never would have thought of them without seeing it in a pile of metal," Yates said. She pursues the trade for artistic purposes but hopes one day to have a welding inspector’s certificate.  Yates said the tools make metals such as steel and aluminum “cut like butter.” Yates said men tend to build fences, trailers, fire pits and carports, but women usually enjoy the designing side of the trade. She said she allows students to begin designing just weeks into the class.  "It's truly a three-hour stress reliever when we come out here on Thursday nights," said Yates who uses her daylight hours to paint.  She said she's working on an oil and acrylic painting of Venice, Italy, but welding has become her passion. Her other project involves building a set of kitchen chairs from a metal conveyer belt she found in a pile of junk. Other welding tools students learn to use include a core wire welder, stick welder and a Gas Tungsten Arc machine.  "It takes some hand and eye coordination, but anyone can usually do it. Women seem to do very well," Yates said. Aside from teaching, she also uses her welding expertise to help friends repair trailers and make Christmas presents.  The 10-week course is for beginners to gain a working knowledge of equipment and technique and continues through March 19. Only three weeks in, as of Thursday, Yates hopes other women, or even men, will join the class. The cost is $200. The second session begins from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 26 and meets every Thursday until May 28.
Reply:Most of the women I have had in my classes do really well.  They demonstrate really good fine motor skills, attention to detail and the discipline for the tedium of repetitive welding.Would be great to see eye protection on that instructor!
Reply:Who do you think did all the aircraft welding in WW2? Oh and some of my best aluminum OA students are girls. I know a 9 year old that will do circles around most of us.