Training First Forges New Career Paths for Women

Ten Brisbane women are the first to complete TAFE Queensland’s new Women in Welding program created to bring more women into the typically male-dominated welding industry. The five day intensive course was run at TAFE Queensland’s Alexandra Hills campus, where the students learnt basic welding skills using the latest Augmented Reality technology as well as traditional welding techniques. The course is set to run four more times at Alex Hills in 2022 between August and December. During the course, the group were also educated about the different range of trade careers available through TAFE Queensland and the many apprenticeship pathways available to them.

Since completing the course, the students have been connected to TAFE Queensland’s Find your Apprentice service which connects employers seeking apprentices with students who have completed pre-apprenticeship training through TAFE Queensland. One student has already enrolled in more welding training at TAFE Queensland Bracken Ridge which will give her a further head start in her career in welding.

Julie Hunt, 44, who came from a retail background said that she was not currently working before starting the course and hoped it would lead to a career change.

“The training has been really great, particularly having such a range of different machines available to train on,” said Julie. “It was also really great to be in a classroom with a bunch of women from different backgrounds and age brackets.”

Fellow student Marissa Hughes, 35, stated that she had been worried before starting the course that she might be alienated for her age, but has found TAFE Queensland’s teaching method to be inclusive for all ages. “I thought I’d be the only one that’s not schoolaged here but everyone’s been lovely,” said Marissa. “I’ve worked in construction for about 5 years now and a lot of the boys weld. I thought it’d be a lot better learning at TAFE Queensland than onsite.”

Sonya Thatcher, 47, is making perhaps the most remarkable career change out of the students, having been a nurse for 22 years. “Instead of mending people I want to mend metal.”

TAFE Queensland’s Women in Welding program was delivered at no cost to participants, with the Queensland Government funding Women in Welding under the Workforce Transition Support Project. Students learnt initial welding skills on TAFE Queensland’s state of the art augmented reality welding simulators before transferring these skills to real world usage. TAFE Queensland will continue to run more Women in Welding programs at the Alexandra Hills campus throughout the year. A Women in Trades program is also scheduled to run across the Alexandra Hills and Acacia Ridge campuses with multiple start dates available.

Emily McShannon was one of the students who completed the course at TAFE Queensland.

WOMEN IN WELDING PROFILES

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