career exploration & workforce development ... FOR GIRLS!
After high school graduation Rachel wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do for a career, but she had toyed with the idea of nursing, massage therapy, and other occupations where she could help people and have a positive impact on their lives. As soon as she finished high school, she knew she was going straight to college. Her high school had the same colors (maroon & gold) as Arizona State University, so she felt that she was meant to be a Sun Devil. She can still remember sitting in the admissions office registering for school and still not knowing what she wanted to major in. One of the counselors suggested she take a career personality assessment and “social services” came up in her top three so from there she decided to pursue a bachelor's in social work. She went on to complete her degree and start a career in the social services field where she stayed for a few years until she discovered welding.
When she was 24, she went back to school for trades and completed the Combination Welding program. From there she felt like everything clicked and that she was finally where she was meant to be. Rachel says that welding is where she feels most comfortable and where she can be her truly authentic self. She doesn’t regret going to college or paying for a degree she no longer uses but she does wish that she would have known welding was what she wanted to do from the start.
When asked if she has ever felt out of place in the industry because she is a woman Rachel says that going from social work, a predominately female industry, to welding which is the total opposite wasn’t easy. In trade school she was one out of two women in class but luckily most of the guys were super cool and welcoming. Once she got out into the field, she ran into her fair share of people who felt some type of way about a lady working in a “man’s world.” She says that she thinks it's very common for tradeswomen to put a lot of pressure on themselves to do their absolute best, if not better, just to prove they belong out there just as much as any guy. Rachel says that’s why she has learned to let her work speak for itself. They can say whatever they want about her gender, but they can’t knock her work ethic! Aside from being outnumbered, Rachel has experienced sexual harassment from foremen and coworkers as well as being left out of gatherings because she “makes the wives/girlfriends uncomfortable.” For the most part she says that her good experiences have far outweighed the bad and most of her male counterparts are very supportive and treat her as their equal.
Rachel and her work wife, Letty, created the Weldher Workshop as a safe space for women, at any skill level, to get a hands-on approach to welding. It’s an easy Intro to MIG welding class where ladies can get their toes wet to see if welding is something they would want to pursue further, or just use the skill as a hobby. The feedback and support they have received over the last year has motivated them to continue to provide experiences for women of all walks of life to try something new and different. A few go on to land welding jobs, some purchase their own welders for home, and others discover they don’t really like welding but are grateful for the chance to come to that conclusion. Lots of ladies are driven by society to be teachers, nurses, and service workers when in reality there is space for them in all walks of work. She says that building a social sisterhood has been one of the most rewarding parts of her welding career to date.
Rachel said that if she could go back in time and tell 18-year-old Rachel anything, it would be to have more confidence in herself. She was always worried about not being good enough and not being able to advocate or stick up for herself. She feels that if she knew then what she knows now she wouldn’t have wasted so much energy caring what others thought or spent so much time thinking about the things that could go wrong instead of opening herself up to opportunities that could go right. Her favorite life lesson thus far has been to trust the timing of your life and always follow your intuition!
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