HANCEVILLE, Ala. — On July 10, Wallace State Community College held a free welding workshop for women.
Wallace State Welding Instructors included Melanie Patterson as well as Wallace State Welding Technology Chair and Instructor Randy Hammond, who was recently named the NC3 Lincoln Electric Instructor of the Year.
Patterson stated the welding techniques and processes demonstrated consisted of SMAW (shielded metal arc welding), better known as stick welding; GMAW (gas metal arc welding), usually called MIG; FCAW (flux cored arc welding), called flux core; and GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding), called TIG.
Patterson explained, “We wanted more women to learn that welding is an option for them. We wanted them to learn about the welding processes and some options available in industry. We had representatives from Altec, Lincoln Electric and a pipe union who spoke to the participants about various welding jobs.”
She advised the following to those seeking to pursue welding: “Don’t be afraid to try something new. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and learn from them. It’s an excellent career, but you have to put in the work to learn welding and get good at it.”
The college offers training for structural and pipe welding. Structural welding can span to a larger scale while pipe welding is used for pipelines and piping systems.
According to WSCC, “Welding is the primary method for permanently joining metal parts used in ships, automobiles, spacecraft, and countless manufactured products, and the field has evolved into a highly advanced, technology-driven industry. This evolution is reflected in Wallace State’s Center for Welding Technology, the newest building on campus.”
Wallace State is hosting a free workshop on Friday, July 24, from 8 a.m.-noon. This will be held at the college’s Welding Department located on 801 Main St NW, Hanceville.
The free workshop will be open to anyone who wants to learn more about CNC plasma table operations and CAD image import and cutting. Email andrew.kreps@wallacestate.edu to sign up.
A Women in Welding Workshop participant tries her hand at welding. (Wallace State Welding Instructor Melanie Patterson)
The Women in Welding Workshop participants were, from left: Magaly Cortez, Crystal Bridges, Zoey McNair, Shelby Atwood, Isabella Croeze, Pennie Carter and (not pictured) Alena Dirscherl. (Wallace State Welding Instructor Melanie Patterson)
