Women Who Weld®: Lighting the Way Out of Poverty
This Detroit-based nonprofit organization is teaching in-need women how to weld and find employment By Katie Pacheco, associate editor of the Welding Journal. Reprinted with permission: The AWS Welding Journal. Once described as the poorest major city in the United States, Detroit, Mich., is home to more than 200,000 people living below the poverty line (Refs. 1, 2). According to the Detroit Free Press, it currently ranks number five in a study of impoverished communities (Ref. 3). Contributing to the poverty crisis is the city’s high unemployment rate. Despite its gaunt financial health, and the decline of its automotive industry, the Motor City still enjoys a burgeoning manufacturing industry, with more than 6200 skilled trade jobs expected to be available each year through 2022 (Ref. 4). However, in spite of growing job opportunities, many Detroiters don’t have the skill set required to secure those jobs. One organization is stepping up to the plate by tackling both the poverty crisis and the skills shortage: Women Who Weld®. Women Who Weld is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that teaches women sought-after welding skills and helps them attain gainful employment in the industry. “The automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, construction, and transportation industries still have a major presence in and around Detroit, and they have a dire need for welders,” explained Samantha Farr, Women Who Weld founder and lead instructor. “It is therefore extremely important to train women to weld and become a part of the industrial workforce, otherwise women will miss out on well-paying opportunities.” The following details how this Detroit-based organization is using welding to lead women out of poverty and bolster the welding industry. Providing Training Options for Diverse Needs Women Who Weld knows that not all women have the same needs. To meet the varied financial demands and professional goals of its diverse population, Women Who Weld offers three training modes: the six-week course, the week-long class, and the single-day workshop. Six-Week Intensive Training Course The six-week option offers a subsidized training program for unemployed or underemployed women from 18 to 40 years of age to help them establish a career in welding and advanced manufacturing, free of charge. “The majority of the participants in the subsidized training program are single mothers in their twenties who reside in Detroit — some in temporary shelters — and have difficulty finding or maintaining part-time employment and rely on public assistance,” said Farr. “Some were formally incarcerated and have few family or friends to turn to for guidance.”- Bouffard, Karen. 2015. Census bureau: Detroit is poorest big city in U.S. detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/09/16/census-us-uninsured-drops-income-stagnates/32499231/.
- Census Reporter. censusreporter. org/ profiles/16000US2622000-detroit-mi/.
- Witsil, Frank. 2018. Metro Detroit’s poverty gets worse despite city’s comeback. freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2018/04/26/detroit-poverty-getting-worse/553439002/.
- Anders, Melissa. 2017. Help wanted: Closing Michigan’s skilled trades gap. detroitchamber.com/help-wanted-closing-michigans-skilled-trades-gap/.