The old adage that behind every man is a great woman is no longer true, at least not in the welding industry. Currently, the U.S. is in the midst of a welder shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for skilled labor grows.  Studies show that there are more than 500,000 welders employed in the U.S.  And the need for these skilled workers is only getting stronger as virtually all construction and manufacturing companies require some form of welding, from production to maintenance and repair. 

The writing is on the wall. U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that the number of welders employed in the U.S. has declined about 10% from 594,000 in 2000 to 576,000 in 2005. According to AWS and other industry research, the average age of a welder is in the mid-fifties, with many approaching 60 years old.  It is estimated that more than half of the industry’s highly trained workforce is nearing retirement, creating a potential shortage of more than 200,000 skilled welders by 2010.

Women take notice.  While the numbers of welders overall are shrinking, the numbers of female welders are actually growing. In fact, the numbers of female welders in the U.S. has increased from 4.9% or 29,000 in 2000 to 5.8% or 33,000 in 2005.  Statistics from the Hobart Institute from 1998 through 2006 indicate that 1.9% of the students in the Structural Welding Program and in the Combination Structural and Pipe Welding Program have been female.  Additionally, women have participated in HIWT technical classes including Preparation for American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector Examination and other inspection courses. 

Welding, as in most trades, has long been considered a man’s job, but with a crisis of a welder shortage weighing on the industry, companies are offering better incentives to recruit skilled welders and losing their reluctance to open their doors to females. Many members of the welding industry believe that women possess the characteristics that make up a good welder, including a steady hand and meticulous eye. A woman’s role as a professional in the trades is growing more vast and diverse as more women leave their desk jobs and roll up their sleeves.

One of the women who recently completed training at Hobart Institute is Maria Hanna of nearby St. Paris.  As a single parent, Maria was seeking a career with relatively short-term training that would produce long-term earnings so that she could support her family. Within nine months, Maria has the certificate to prove she can perform the work. 

As an occupation, welding can be very lucrative and open the door to many other opportunities to include inspection, management roles, sales of various welding equipment, teaching the technology, or even business ownership.  Maria sees this as an advantage and a stepping stone to future positions within the industry.

This isn’t the first time that women have stepped up to the plate when they saw a need in the welding industry.  With the United States’ entry into World War II in 1941, millions of American women responded to the government’s call to enter high-paying jobs of the war-production industry.  This was a vast change for many of them who had pursued the more traditional feminine ideal of housewife and mother or who had worked at pink-collar jobs with lower pay.  Classes at the Hobart school at that time were filled with women who were training for employment in manufacturing for the military.  The war brought a peak in the numbers of women in the previously male-dominated industry.    

These women should be applauded for struggling to persevere in a male-dominated industry. They should be applauded for changing the welding industry, as well as all trades, and for taking risks to better themselves while helping to keep manufacturing in America strong.

Today, while the numbers of women entering the welding industry are long from equaling their male counterparts, these professionals and role models are changing the face of the welding industry and encouraging others to continue the trend.  A career in welding can be extremely lucrative and exciting, and can lead to high level employment in various industries.  In fact, for those who are involved in the welding industry, there is a strong conviction that a large part of the U.S. economy is dependent on welding, and that continued advances in the field are necessary to increase productivity and strengthen the nation’s financial stability.

The Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is a 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 1930 and is dedicated to welding training and education excellence.  The Institute educates and trains individuals in the use and application of welding technologies; develops and disseminates welding training and educational material; and conducts certification research and qualifications for the welding industry.  Based in Troy, Ohio, the Institute continues to enhance its reputation worldwide through affiliations with leading international training organizations, assuring continued growth and self-sufficiency.  For more information, visit the website at www.welding.org

The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.  Headquartered in Miami, Florida and led by a volunteer organization of officers and directors, AWS serves more than 50,000 members worldwide and is composed of 22 Districts with more than 200 local Sections. For more information, visit the Society’s website at www.aws.org.