By Rebbeca Marroquin

Girls-only welding camp sparks interest in the trade

Aug 23, 2017 | 2:38 PM

A group of teenage girls are bucking the norm and working towards a career in the trades.

The Mind over Metal Camp, starting Monday, July 21, is offered at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Prince Albert. Among its participants is 14-year-old Cristal Bear, who has attended the program since it began three years ago. The young aspiring welder said she credits the program for sparking her interest in the trade, and hopes other girls her age will consider it.

“I’d tell them that it’s fun and it’s a good trade,” she said.

It is taught by Tammie Pawlust, who was the province’s only female welding instructor for years, and offers training in welding, grinding, drilling, and proper use of power tools.

Pawlust learned how to weld at age 35 and has been doing so for 23 years. She was a college instructor for 15 of those years.  

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

16m ago

Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

21h ago

BE CAREFUL ON THE ROADS

Semi flips outside P.A.; one of dozens of incidents on Sask. roads due to winter weather

21h ago

Prior to welding, Pawlust went to school for accounting. She said as a woman, studying a trade wasn’t an option in high school. Programs that encourage women to participate in the field weren’t offered back then, but for Pawlust, the challenges turned to be rewarding.

“The pay is very good,” she said. “I can drive around the city and I can see buildings I’ve made, and I can see bridges I’ve made.”

Pawlust said the benefits of the trade were too good not to share with other students, and decided to instruct the girl-only camp aimed to show young girls that a career in the trades is a viable option.   

The program accepts only 20 girls and is free of charge.

According to a most recent study by Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Program, less than 15% of workers in the trade industry are women.

rebbeca.marroquin@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @becamarroquin