We live in a world that promotes equality. However, not all things are as equal as they should be and there are certain positions that are still considered to be male-dominant. One of these are the construction and the welding industry, which at the time of writing employs only 1% of women in their entire workforce.
Some people consider women as not being strong nor tough enough for welding. Joining two pieces of metal with intense heat and working in all kinds of unfavorable positions and places is not something for women – at least that’s what they say.
However, women have proven that they can be on par with men and can follow them every step of the way in this industry.
What you can do, we can do better.
Advantages of Women Welders
A lot of people don’t realize that women welders possess certain natural abilities that are perfect for welding. Sure, men are strong and can endure a lot, but they still lack some physical properties that would make them perfect.
First of all, women have a lower center of gravity which allows them to maintain balance in high positions. A lot of weld work is done high above the ground and one needs to maintain perfect balance and stay composed at the same time to do the job properly. Girls are able to do that far better than men due to this specific property.
Secondly, women’s hands don’t shake as much as men’s do. Men tend to suffer from tremors, as research states, more often than women do. Also, guy’s hands start to naturally shake earlier in their lives as opposed to women. This could impair one’s performance when doing some precision work, especially while TIG welding.
Finally, women take much better care of themselves. In an industry as dangerous as welding is, protecting yourself is paramount. Women are of much better health than men are and are not abused by injuries so much. Allowing them prolonged work periods.
Female Welders are Ambitious
Becoming a part of any industry requires ambition. It seems that women definitely don’t lack the ambition needed to do a welder’s job, but they just need to be given a chance. Girls emphasize education about welding more than men do. A lot of men take a hands-on approach where they skip the part about learning some of the basic welding stuff, like learning the basic welding symbols for instance.
Women take this part seriously and are far more educated than men are. This is a valuable tool for the future as it can allow them to become a certified welder and a supervisor, a position that few women can hold.
Are We Going to See More Women in the Welding Industry?
The short answer is – Yes! The number of women welders has been rising steadily from year to year. In a three-year period, around 1,000 welders have joined the ranks. But this is still not enough.
Luckily, a lot of the current welding force is long in the tooth and replacements are needed. There are not a lot of skilled men interested in welding at the current point so it seems that girls will once again have to pick up welders, similarly as in WWII, and start doing the dirty work.
Some people consider women as not being strong nor tough enough for welding. Joining two pieces of metal with intense heat and working in all kinds of unfavorable positions and places is not something for women – at least that’s what they say.
However, women have proven that they can be on par with men and can follow them every step of the way in this industry.
What you can do, we can do better.
Advantages of Women Welders
A lot of people don’t realize that women welders possess certain natural abilities that are perfect for welding. Sure, men are strong and can endure a lot, but they still lack some physical properties that would make them perfect.
First of all, women have a lower center of gravity which allows them to maintain balance in high positions. A lot of weld work is done high above the ground and one needs to maintain perfect balance and stay composed at the same time to do the job properly. Girls are able to do that far better than men due to this specific property.
Secondly, women’s hands don’t shake as much as men’s do. Men tend to suffer from tremors, as research states, more often than women do. Also, guy’s hands start to naturally shake earlier in their lives as opposed to women. This could impair one’s performance when doing some precision work, especially while TIG welding.
Finally, women take much better care of themselves. In an industry as dangerous as welding is, protecting yourself is paramount. Women are of much better health than men are and are not abused by injuries so much. Allowing them prolonged work periods.
Female Welders are Ambitious
Becoming a part of any industry requires ambition. It seems that women definitely don’t lack the ambition needed to do a welder’s job, but they just need to be given a chance. Girls emphasize education about welding more than men do. A lot of men take a hands-on approach where they skip the part about learning some of the basic welding stuff, like learning the basic welding symbols for instance.
Women take this part seriously and are far more educated than men are. This is a valuable tool for the future as it can allow them to become a certified welder and a supervisor, a position that few women can hold.
Are We Going to See More Women in the Welding Industry?
The short answer is – Yes! The number of women welders has been rising steadily from year to year. In a three-year period, around 1,000 welders have joined the ranks. But this is still not enough.
Luckily, a lot of the current welding force is long in the tooth and replacements are needed. There are not a lot of skilled men interested in welding at the current point so it seems that girls will once again have to pick up welders, similarly as in WWII, and start doing the dirty work.
The 2024 virtual Men’s Round Table will be held Q4, 2024, date TBD.
