Welcome to Arclight by Women Who Weld
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Interview 20: Ashley, an Ironworker
Ashley Miller completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in March 2023. She is a second-year apprentice with Ironworkers Local 401 in Philadelphia, PA.
Interview 19: Janet, a MIG Welder
Janet Davis completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in November 2018 and she also holds a certificate in welding from Lake Michigan College. She is a MIG Welder at Modineer in Niles, Michigan.
Interview 18: Elizabeth, a Sheet Metal Worker
Elizabeth Schweitzer completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2018. Elizabeth is now a journeyworker with Sheet Metal Workers Local 80 in Detroit, Michigan.
Interview 17: Sarah, a Fabricator and Instructor
Sarah Cavalieri completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2018. She is a fabricator, welder, and a co-instructor with Women Who Weld in Detroit, MI.
Interview 16: Denise, a Body Quality Technician
Denise Bedolla completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in August 2021. She then landed a job as a Manufacturing Operator at Rivian in Normal, IL, and was recently promoted to the position of Body Quality Technician.
Interview 15: Daquais, a Welder and Ironworker
Daquais Johnson completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2021. She then landed a job as a production welder and is currently an ironworker at Nelson Iron Works in Detroit.
Interview 14: Cynthia, a Fabricator and Welder
Cynthia Phillips is a fabricator and welder in Joshua Tree, California. She is the owner of Hot Steel Welding and has spent the majority of her career building sets for the entertainment industry in New York City and Los Angeles. She is well-known on Instagram as @HotSteelWelding.
Interview 13: Kate, a Fabricator and Instructor
Kate Mooney completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2019. She is a fabricator/welder at Workshop Detroit and a co-instructor with Women Who Weld.
Interview 12: Erin, a Welder and Lab Manager
Erin Kelley is a welder and the Powerhouse Lab Manager at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Erin spent a decade working in education before pursuing an associate’s degree in welding fabrication technology from Schoolcraft College in Southeast Michigan.
Interview 11: Gina, a Fabricator
Gina Ceccoli completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2019, and landed a job as a production welder at a custom steel packaging company where she became the line lead and then the lead fabricator.
Interview 10: Michelle, a Metalworker
Michelle Kim is a metalworker in Southern California. She started her welding business, Allegro Steel, in January 2019. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental economics and policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
Interview 9: Kyle, an Ironworker
Kyle Tripp is an apprentice with Ironworkers Local 25 in Detroit and an employee of Barton Malow, a union contractor. Kyle completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2018 and was accepted into Local 25’s Apprenticeship Training Program shortly thereafter.
Interview 8: Gabrielle, an Architectural Metalworker
Gabrielle Shelton is an artist and architectural metalworker. She established Shelton Studios in Brooklyn, NY, over 20 years ago. Gabrielle received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995.
Interview 7: Tylah, a Welding Engineering Student
Tylah Fortson is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Welding Engineering at Ohio State University. She received a Welding Technology Associate of Applied Science degree from Wayne County Community College in Detroit, MI in May 2017, and was a Co-Instructor with Women Who Weld in the Summer of 2017.
Interview 6: Betsy, a Pipe Welder
Betsy Weisgerber is a pipe welder in Northern California. She started her welding business, BW Welding, in January 2020, and previously worked as a heavy equipment operator and welder at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) for 8 years. She holds a small business entrepreneurship degree from Butte College.
Interview 5: Andrea, a Steelworker and Educator
Andrea Havlin was a United Steelworker in Northwest Indiana for 20 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications from Columbia College in Chicago. Just over a year ago, Andrea relocated to Palm Desert, California, where she is now a lab technician at College of the Desert and an adjunct welding instructor at San Bernardino Valley College. Andrea is part of the ESAB Elite Team and is well-known on Instagram as @HotWork247.
Interview 4: Letty, a Welder/Fitter
Letty Rodriguez learned how to weld at Arizona Automotive Institute in 2015 and is now a welder/fitter at a workstation crane manufacturing company outside of Phoenix, AZ. Letty also runs her own custom jewelry business called Saguaro Blossom Jewels.
Interview 3: Lily, a Metal Fabricator
Lily Kline completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2018, and has since worked as a welder and fabricator at multiple custom fabrication companies and is currently a metal fabricator with GANAS in Detroit, MI
Interview 2: Teia, a Sheet Metal Worker
Teia Leonard completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2019 and landed a job as a production welder at a custom steel packaging company. After working as a production welder for just short of a year, Teia became a fabricator with Sheet Metal Workers Local 292 in Detroit, MI.
Interview 1: Bailey, an Ironworker
Bailey Steele completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in July 2018, and landed a job as a production welder at a custom steel packaging company where she became ‘Employee of the Month’ just a few months into her new welding career. After working as a production welder for a year, Bailey was accepted into the Ironworkers Local 25 Apprenticeship Training Program in Detroit, MI.