Mother-Daughter Ironworkers, Carolina and Kat in Seattle

Carolina Taylor has been an Ironworker for the past 22 years.

That statement is loaded with accomplishment. In the 1990s, becoming an Ironworker as a woman was no easy feat. How did Carolina pave that road for herself?

It started with a road trip, an 18 hour quest up the West Coast from Los Angeles to Seattle. Carolina packed all of her belongings into her ’65 Galaxy with her daughter, Kat, as her copilot. She searched for a job that would provide for her and Kat—but all the “female” jobs like clerk typist, medical translator, or assistant tax accountant paid very little and offered no benefits.

A friend of Carolina’s who worked on highway construction suggested she check out a new program at Renton Technical College that offered good wages and benefits. She signed up immediately. After seeing The Space Needle as an example of what Ironworkers could do, Carolina realized her calling. She wanted to be one of “The Cowboys of the Sky.”

The beginning of Carolina’s career had its obstacles. Her car gave out, and she had to wake up early every morning to ride the bus to work, often rising several hours before her work day began so she could drop her daughter off at day care.

“On the job training began when I first stepped on the job site. It was mental and physical. All my senses were on high alert to make sure what tasks I did were done well and showed that I wanted to be there and that I belonged there.

As an apprentice, I was the only women in the gang… My arrival on the job site meant behavior change. (ie: taking down calendars with naked women, using different language, stepping out of comfort zones, etc…)

Did I work my fair share? Was I worth the trouble?

I remember the sticker on a hard hat that said, ‘I won’t work with someone who squats to piss!’

I walked tall and fearless, focused on learning to work safe and efficient to make it another day and provide for my daughter. I gave no one permission to break me or make me feel like I did not belong there.” -Carolina Taylor

With such a hardworking mom as her example, Kat grew up to be self-sufficient. Obstacles weren’t so daunting—she had living proof of what was possible watching her mom overcome her own hardships.

It wasn’t until after Kat attended her first orientation that she told her mother that she too wanted to be an Ironworker. Carolina felt a rush of colliding emotions when she heard the news.

“I know what it’s like out there. So many feelings…proud, excited for her. I know she is capable of working in the field in a safe manner, however as her mother, I had to prepare myself in the event she got hurt. Being in the same union eased the fact that even though I was not working in the field with her, my brothers in the field that did work with her would let me know how she was doing and would keep an eye on her.” -Carolina Taylor

The Taylor women have come full circle in their work and personal lives. Carolina, who began her career after seeing how the Space Needle was built, worked on the recent remodeling of the structure. Kat became a Jorneyman Ironworker in 2018 and is now herself a loving mother and a first time homeowner.

Ironworker Carolina Taylor’s Advice for Aspiring Tradespeople:

• take good care of yourself
• spend quality time with your family
• continue making goals to achieve the next positions as a union member (ie: business agent, organizer, union president, apprenticeship instructor, coordinator)
• be a dream-chaser, goal-reacher, and butt-kicker

Carolina has taken her own advice, advancing her career as she kept her goals in mind. In 2013, she was asked to be an apprenticeship instructor, teaching fundamental trade skills to pre-apprentices and 1st year apprentices. In 2015, she was named Tradeswoman of the Year by Washington Women In Trades. Right now, she teaches a welding class for TERO (Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance) for Yakama Nation in Toppenish.

On top of it all, Carolina still works in the field, building the city she lives in, tapping into her inner strength and original intention for being on the job site in the first place. It is still a thrill to see the transformation generated by her own two hands, working together with the crew she now sees as part of the family.

Building beautiful cities like Seattle would be impossible without Ironworkers like Carolina and Kat.

If Carloina’s sacrifices and strength remind you of your mom, share this story with her and thank her for everything she’s done.

Welder Liisa Pine

Meet Welder Liisa Pine. She took her first welding class in 1991, thinking it would be a check off her bucket list. Instead, she found her path.

“The most common misconception people have about my work is that it doesn’t provide challenge or a rewarding career path for intelligent people. The welding field is huge, more like a tree than a ladder. It includes not only hands-on welders, but welding engineers, equipment salespeople, contractors, artisans. I use my university degree every day, whether I am building something, discussing metallurgy, or writing a grant.”-Liisa Pine

“The biggest thing that I hope my son learns from seeing me in my field is that it is absolutely normal. I would love for him to take it completely for granted.” -Welder Liisa Pine

“My son Rowan is 5. I can’t wait to get him started welding. Learning it teaches you so much about yourself and about learning, like a martial art. At the same time, he’ll let me know when he’s ready. I’ve seen too many kids start at the wrong time in their personal development, and it’s amazing how ineffective that is. In general though, he’ll grow up making and repairing things, as much for curiosity’s sake as for practicality. In our family, the hands and brain are a team.” -Welder Liisa Pine

“The best part of my job is working with dangerous tools and permanent materials. They don’t care who you are, you’d just better handle it right. Your work ethic is obvious, and your results don’t lie.” -Liisa Pine

“Get started, meet people. Find the ones you like and become someone they can depend on. Join the American Welding Society, get involved in your local chapter. And stretch the hell out of your comfort zone, every day.” -Welder Liisa Pine, @sparksorwhatever

The Women of Iron Maiden Welding

Iron Maiden Welding, a small business in Bozeman, Montana, is owned and operated by Brenda Gayer. She’s been selling her work since she was 16 years old, and has now developed her brand into one of a kind, colorful works of art.

“Get out there and do it! Get a job where you can learn as much about it as possible. Even if you start at the bottom and work your way up. You can never learn enough.

Like anything, (welding) has its ups and downs. Attitude and confidence are the key. If you go into a situation with the ‘I got this!’ outlook, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman. Stay true to you! Be confident! Be confident!” -Welder Brenda Gayer

Tiffani, who’s been working with her for 2 and a half years, loves the job and hopes to create a small business of her own some day.

“I have been welding for 8 years now, and High School is where I discovered my passion for it. Welding was interesting to me, because it is something that has been a part of my family for generations. My father’s got his first job as a welder following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. I figured it was the perfect thing for me to try that was different and challenging.

I recommend that all young people try welding if they have the opportunity, or find some sort of trade that they find enjoyable and can be skillful at. Welding has given me a lot of job opportunities, and I think it is something especially women should try.

What I love about welding most is that it gives me the ability to express myself and be different, because not a lot of people I meet can do what I do.” -Welder Tiffani Eccleston

Click here to find out more about Iron Maiden Welding.

Welder Jen Mosier

“It was a total accident that I found a love for welding. I trace it back to a metalsmithing class in undergrad. I was still thinking about metal years later, but when I transferred to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I found that all the metalsmithing classes were full. The only other way into metalworking was a class about building a furnace for pouring iron. It was a big leap, but that’s where I got acquainted with the large machines and tools, as well as welding. Thankfully a few patient students and professors—now some of my good friends—helped me understand the basics of those tools. I went from working on jewelry on a very small scale to the opposite end of the spectrum. I still make some jewelry, but welding big stuff is my jam.

Welding is empowering. It forces you to consider the physics of moving heavy steel, while often navigating confined spaces. You have to be clever, independent and you have to trust yourself. There’s a grittiness to welding that comes with the territory, and you have to be adaptable to do the work. I’m not afraid to stand on the table to find a more precise position to weld.

Females in traditionally male-dominated fields have to be double tough. I know several other women who weld, and they all have a story about how they have to work extra hard just to earn the respect of their male counterparts. For my master’s thesis, I wrote a small handbook on how to become a female metalworker, and I got to interview some of these badass women welders, fabricators and sculptors. You might think that female welders sit around and chat about their experiences as women in these fields, but that’s not really the case. These interviews were the first time I heard their stories of struggle, which inevitably led to triumph because they chose to ignore the negative commentary and just get the job done. For some of the more competitive women, they let those comments fuel their fire to complete the work.

For anyone looking to get into welding, I’d say just go for it. For women, there’s a unspoken required tenacity. Depending on the shop leadership, there could be a bit more to deal with than just completing projects. A few guys discouraged me from learning how to weld because of the potential danger of electric shock or burns. I let the idea of getting shocked sink in so much that I believed it was more dangerous than it really is. Nonetheless, you still have to be careful around the equipment and always pay attention to your surroundings. In the end, having some of that fear rewards you to do everything right and safely.” -Jen Mosier

“I’ve heard so many women say they are afraid of welding, and I wish that wasn’t the case. Depending on the project, welding can be quite straightforward. Granted, there’s more to know about welding than just how to wear the gear and turn on the machine. There’s a technical side which involves clamping and building jigs, which is where things start to get interesting. Everyone should know there is a high level of satisfaction in working with metal and shaping it into something functional” -Jen Mosier

Don’t miss out on the Lady Welder’s Handbook Jen put together.

Oakland Ironworker Diana

Ten years after becoming a proud member of the Ironworkers Union Local 377, Diana decided it was time to be her own boss. Venturing out on her own to open DC Metal Work, a metal fabrication company that’s stood tall amongst a male dominated field. 15 years later, Diana’s deep sense of accomplishment is why she’s always eager to provide other females with the encouragement and gentle nudge they might need to join the trades. She even shares her welding chops and experience with students at the Oakland-based school of crafts, The Crucible. That is, when she isn’t too busy passing down the blue-prints to the way around the workshop to Diana’s 9-year- old daughter Lucy.

All Hail Mom

Just in case you missed this beautiful Mother’s Day video, take a second to watch it now. We should celebrate Mom year-round after all.

Chicago Ironworker Adriana Lopez

Meet the inspiring Adriana Lopez.

Looking to incorporate welding into her personal artwork, she fell in love with the trade after attending a program at Jane Addams Resource Corporation in Chicago. In no time, she got her Arc Welding Society Certification.

Adriana worked in several different shops and got involved with Chicago Women in Trades.

“They encouraged me to pursue the trades, even though I didn’t think I would make the cut because of my gender and size. They helped me study for the test, ended up scoring 15 on the long list of people who took the Ironworker test.

I’ll have 2 years in in April. I love being a Union Ironworker. It’s a brotherhood; we look out after each on the field and even outside the job. That’s my favorite part of being in a union, and the awesome benefits.

Am I ever scared during the job? No, but I am cautious because I always keep in mind that any mistake could not only impact myself, but also the guys working beside me.

I would suggest to anyone who’s trying to get in the trades to seek guidance through programs like the ones that helped me. It makes a huge difference. To not give up because it can be lengthy sometimes to get in. Believe in yourself because anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.” -Adriana Lopez

Building a Studio

For metal artist, Kate Silvio, the best part of her job is the idea that someone would want to wake up everyday and look at something that she’s created. What a motivation! That drive and hustle have to live somewhere. After the birth of her second daughter, Kate is setting up a home studio. She’ll now be able to pop in and out, keep her creative thought process rolling, and tackle the rest of the day with greater ease.

As Kate is designing her creative work space, she’s “found it crucial to figure out how you are most productive and happy. There is no ‘a shop is supposed to look this way’…shops look however you want them to look.” Metal working is a particularly expensive art form to pull off in a home studio. Keeping that in mind, she’ll slowly build her stock of tools and equipment. The key is determining which items are indispensable and higher up on the ‘to buy’ list.

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