The Perception of Female Welders

In 2010 the percentage of women in the welding workforce was only four percent, and eight years later it only increased by one percent. With a new generation of women in the welding industry, there are soon going to be changes in the statistics. For example, Megan Fee, a welder at John Deere Davenport Works, first discovered her passion for welding at Iowa’s Davenport West High School. She says: “I love working with my hands, especially fabricating fascinating works of art and things people could use.” 

Speaking about when she first started working on her passion in welding, Fee said: “I’ve had to prove myself ten times as much as others, but that’s where I get some of my pride.” Megan is now passing on her skills to other young women looking to join the field. She also tells women to never give up even though some days might feel rough, keep pushing through and try to be as independent as you can. Having to prove yourself over and over again might get a little frustrating but times are changing, as we get closer to the future so many more opportunities are opening up. According to Fee: “[l]adies are much more welcomed into this trade than most people think, so don’t be afraid to jump in and show the guys how it’s done.” Welding is more known for being a job males do, but according to Fee and so many other women, it is not just a male job.

The population of women welders is going to increase by six percent before 2026. Attempts to attract women to the field and focus on career benefits like high wages and job security include programs like Weld Like A Girl and Women Who Weld. These programs provide “women-focused training programs” and make the craft “accessible and affordable to an untapped female workforce.” Looking beyond 2022, there will surely be a shortage in trained, quality welders, so having women join the industry would be a boost for it. Fewer people are taking up welding. Some think that automated or robotic welding is taking over, but that just isn’t true. Others don’t know how to weld and don’t want to take time learning it because they don’t think they will make enough money while welding. This is also not true.

Welding isn’t just a male job, even though women still to this day have to prove themselves a little more because welding has always been considered a “man’s field.” As the generations pass, more and more women want to experience the art of welding and are genuinely interested in things that people in the past would consider women not worthy enough to do. This makes people want to push themselves harder and to step out of their comfort zone.