GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – NWTC’s only woman welding instructor wants to see more women learning the trade.
As metal bubbles and splits, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) welding instructor Sarah Fischer teaches one of her students the trade.
“Over the course of these last 12 years, I’ve just always been striving, getting better, taking classes, finishing out the certificate for welding, working at different places,” said Sarah Fischer.
She started teaching welding part-time at NWTC three years ago. Now she’s a full-time instructor.
While all but one of her students are men, Fischer tells FOX 11 women welders have some advantages.
“Women are usually better at it. We have really good hand-eye coordination and our attention to detail is better.”
One of Fischer’s students hopes to have a welding career after he graduates. Marcus Tippins tells FOX 11 he’s learning valuable skills from Fischer.
“Demonstrating or just anything that she can do to help, she’s definitely there to give you tips, hints, anything that helps. With all the experience she has, it makes it a lot easier.”
Fischer says learning the trade was a bit intimidating at first.
“Because I’d never been around it. You know, it’s hot. It can burn you and it’s loud and a lot of the tools that you use, you’ve never used before.”
But that fear is long gone. Fisher loves what she does and she’d like to see more women welders in her class.
“It’s not hard. Anybody can do it. Anybody can learn it. It’s a great skill to have.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Wisconsin comes in 5th with the highest employment level for this type of work.
