Female students learn welding at Job Corps | News, Sports, Jobs

Last week, a group of welding students took time out from their studies to talk about their experiences at the center.

Each of the students has been with Job Corps for about a year, except for Dana Johnston, who said she has been at the center for six or seven months.

According to Dulce Ortiz, one of the student leaders, the welding program takes at least six months to complete, but that time depends on how much high school a student has before starting the program. According to Job Corps officials, each trade takes a different amount of time to gain the skills needed for certification.

Previously, these students had only practiced stick welding, a form of welding in which the operator holds a fixed electrode, and they “sew” Metal is joined together by superheating with the help of electricity that flows from the electrode into the object to be welded.

Other types of welding include TIG welding, in which a feed rod is held in one hand to consume it and insert it into the joint of two workpieces, and MIG welding, in which the operator uses a “Gun” that feeds everything needed for welding into the work area. There are other specialized welding disciplines that are not taught at Job Corps.

The curriculum is self-paced and there are specific milestones to be achieved. Students must demonstrate competency on specific tasks in order to reach milestones and make progress.

“It depends on the skills you have,” Ortiz spoke about achieving milestones.

Students said they are not all at the same level of their education. They get breaks throughout the day so they can chat and see each other's progress.

“You work until you are sure that you can pass the exam,” said Ortiz. “The instructor will then check your welds and let you know whether you pass the test.” The welds that students submit for testing are bent heavily to see if they hold. If they hold sufficiently, the student is making progress.

Johnston, who gave a tour of the welding shop, said much of the time in the shop is spent preparing practice plates on which to practice welding joints. Students must cut and bevel plates to prepare them as test pieces. Students said there is a lot of welding when they first start learning, but there is also a lot of grinding.

“Grinding tires your hands and can take a while,” said Johnston, who said she likes to prepare several plates for welding at a time so she can take breaks between tasks and work through the practice sections.

Ortiz pointed to a large CNC plasma cutter and Johnston and the other students demonstrated it and pointed out the machine's features. The machine is a computer-controlled sheet metal cutting torch that can cut any shape imaginable and will give students a head start in learning. The machine will save valuable time in training because it can cut sheet metal with just supervision. It will also save students many hours of labor.

“We are still learning and figuring it out. We have only just understood it,” said Johnston.

A comprehensive confirmation round included questions about the enjoyment of Job Corps.

“It’s not that bad,” said Kaila Babb, another student, while variations of “Yes” echoed through the group.

“It’s better than high school,” said Jamie Lambert.

Ortiz said she wants to work at Bobcat in Bismarck and gain experience and then eventually open her own shop. Dana Johnston said she would like to work through a union and eventually become a trainer. Kaila Babb plans to either work in a shop or work as a welder at her father's company.

“Honestly, I think if female welders want to get into the welding profession, they should definitely do it. It is sometimes challenging, but it is definitely worth it,” said Johnston.

She and Ortiz said it can be quite difficult to prove themselves in a male-dominated profession, but that they can weld just as well as their male colleagues.

Each of the students was proud of their achievements and nodded in agreement when Ortiz said: “I had no experience when I came here, but after my instructor showed me what to do and my coworkers helped me, I felt comfortable doing something I had never done before at Job Corps.”

“You have to worry about what happens in the cabin. That's all that matters. Just pay attention to what's happening in there and who cares about the outside world?” said Ortiz.

Job Corps celebrates 60th anniversary

This year, Job Corps in the United States is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Job Corps is the U.S. Department of Labor's largest training program, serving over 50,000 students annually. Job Corps was established on August 20, 1964, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act and has since grown to over 120 centers, including the Quentin N. Burdick Center in Minot.

“Job Corps’ mission was and is to change lives through good jobs,” said Deputy Labor Minister Jose Javier Rodriguez. “The 60th anniversary is an important milestone to honor the past and look forward to the next 60 years of creating opportunities and career pathways for young adults across the country.”