Women Who Weld, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that teaches women how to weld and find employment in the welding industry, has launched a new program - Arclight - in which we showcase women who create, ideate, and collaborate across specializations and trades.
Kyle Tripp is an apprentice with Ironworkers Local 25 in Detroit and an employee of Barton Malow, a union contractor. Kyle completed Women Who Weld’s Intensive Welding Training Program in October 2018 and was accepted into Local 25’s Apprenticeship Training Program shortly thereafter. Below is an edited and condensed interview between Samantha Farrugia, the founder of Women Who Weld, and Kyle in June 2021.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Connecticut. I finished high school there and didn't have any plans to go to college. So, in 2012, when I was 19, I moved to Michigan where my mom’s side of the family lives.
Why did you not pursue college?
I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, but I definitely knew it wasn't going to be another four years of school. I was ready to be done with school before I got my high school diploma. I also didn't really have the funds to pursue college and I didn't feel like getting myself into student loan debt was going to help me while I figured out what I wanted to do. I thought if I start working, I'll figure it out.
Are you still planning to move to Alaska?
Yes, that is definitely on the horizon; hopefully I can get out there within the next couple of years.
Why do you want to move to Alaska?
It's breathtaking; I’ve visited twice and it's somewhere I could immerse myself in.
Where in Alaska would you move?
Probably the Anchorage area because work is there.
Where did you work before becoming a welder?
Before I became a welder, I worked the front desk at an Orange Theory Fitness for about 6 months.
Where did you work before that job?
All over the place, just kind of picking up any job. I've worked in concert arenas, casinos, ice rinks, gyms. They were all fun and I had a good time, but they weren’t anything I could make a living off of and I tended to have a short attention span for those jobs. I'm happy I found welding. It’s something that I love. I can hone my skills and I consistently want to go to work every day.
You participated in one of Women Who Weld’s introductory workshops in 2017, and then, about a year later, one of our intensive welding training programs. What compelled you to want to continue welding after the introductory workshop?
At the time, I was working at the Detroit Zoo and I loved it. But I took that single-day workshop and had so much fun, and for the next couple of weeks at the zoo, I kept wondering what I could do with welding. And the thought kind of came and passed until I checked my email one day and it was about Women Who Weld’s intensive training program, and I went for it.
How did Women Who Weld prepare you for a career in welding?
Women Who Weld has changed my life. Hands down, the most meaningful opportunity I’ve been blessed with. Women Who Weld not only provided me with an invaluable skill, but opened my eyes to opportunities I never considered and dreams that were never sold to me as a female. I’m so grateful to have the skills and be in a trade allowing me to do so. Women Who Weld was the stepping stone to making all my dreams come true.
There are several trade unions engaged in welding, including the Boilermakers, Carpenters, Ironworkers, Millwrights, Pipefitters/Steamfitters, Sheet Metal Workers, and so on. Why did you choose to become an apprentice with the Ironworkers?
I remember sitting in your program and you were going over the trades. And the picture you used for the Ironworkers was of someone hanging upside down from an I-beam while welding 100 feet up in the air and I thought, “Well, that looks fun!”
What’s the highest elevation you’ve worked?
I think seven-stories is the highest so far, but I’ll be heading out to the Hudson site soon and that will be the second tallest building in Detroit.
For those who don’t know, the J.L Hudson Department Store was a beautiful, imposing, and historic building – the tallest department store in the world with 2.2 million square feet of retail and office space – in Downtown Detroit that was demolished in 1998. Currently, a new building is underway at the former Hudson site and it is expected to be the second tallest building in Michigan.
You’ve been an apprentice with Ironworkers Local 25 for two and a half years. Does the apprenticeship change as you move from a first- to second- to third- and fourth-year apprentice?
The main difference is you get pay bumps and you learn more; you're out in the field working so you're obviously getting more experience. The more you're out there, the more jobs you get your hands on…and you earn a pay bump every six months. So, you could assume that a first-year apprentice isn't making as much as a third-year, but after four years, everyone makes the journeyman pay scale.
So in March 2023, you’re eligible for journeyworker status?
Yes.
What’s your schedule like, including start and end time, each day? Which days of the week do you work?
It depends on the job and the size of the job; deadlines to get projects done may adjust your work schedule. I've been on jobs where we work 7-10s: 7 days a week, 10 hours a day. Currently, the job I'm on at the new jail site, the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center, is 5 days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., just 8-hour days. I’ll work an occasional Saturday, which is nice to pick up some overtime.
What is your day-to-day like as an ironworker apprentice?
You want to come in early. I like to give myself 15 to 20 minutes to walk to where I need to be on site. I make sure I have all my tools. I’ll usually get together with whatever crew I’m working in and we’ll go through a JSA, a job site analysis, so that everyone is on the same page for what's going on that day and aware of the potential hazards we might face. Then we get all the tools we need out of the gang boxes. I put on my tool belt, my harness, my welding jacket, whatever I need, and then I tackle jobs for the day.
Are you working on any specific areas of the jail?
Currently, I'm welding the jail cells. There's a crew working ahead of me erecting these cells, and then I'm going through behind them and welding them 2 inches on 18 on center. I go cell to cell and carefully work through the building.
Who is your employer?
Barton Malow. I’ve been working with them since February 2021. Before Barton Malow, I was with Assemblers Precast & Steel Services and I was also working on the jail through them. We put up the whole precast structure for the building and when we completed the job, I moved over to Barton Malow where I’m now welding.
Which other projects have you worked on?
Before Assemblers, I was employed by Kirby Steel working on a new hotel in Birmingham, MI, The Daxton Hotel, which looks beautiful. And before that I did a shutdown at a seamless tube facility in South Lyon, MI. Before that I was with C.L. Rieckhoff, doing some sheeting; we enclosed the natural gas compressor plant in Manchester, MI. And before that, I was with Monarch Welding and Engineering, working shutdown and weld repair on an open-hearth furnace in a steel mill.
You have worked on a lot of different projects. Is there one in particular that sticks out as your favorite so far?
I like what I'm doing now because I do nothing but weld. I know what I'm doing. This is what I wanted to do, this is what I saw for myself, this is why I joined Ironworkers. So, I'm doing what I want and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
What's it like to work a 7-10? How long can you work those hours consecutively before you burn out?
That's a tough one. For some guys, that's all they do – they'll work 7-10s for half the year, but it gives them the freedom to take the other half of the year off. But it can be exhausting and daunting. You have to be very mindful and take care of yourself – stay hydrated, eat well, get proper sleep. But if you want it, you can find the work. Whatever you’re willing to put in, you’ll get out.
What is your least favorite type of work as an ironworker?
Fire watch, but you’ve got to stay focused because it is one of the most important roles. It's just as important as the person who’s welding. You need to be on top of it and you have to keep your mind in the game.
Has your income changed since completing Women Who Weld’s intensive welding training program and becoming an ironworker?
It has changed immensely. I have been able to put myself in a fiscally stable and responsible position. As of today, I have zero debt. I have nothing in collections. I have no credit card debt. I obviously don't have any student loans because I'm getting an education through the union while I work. It's a beautiful thing. And I’m living in a house with my partner that we pay for. Money is not a stress for me anymore and it's very nice. It's given me the freedom to not rely on anyone, not feel behind, and not get down on myself – to not feel like I have failed myself or I'm not where I should be. I feel proud of myself.
Which welding process do you primarily engage in?
I'm currently flux-cored welding, which is specific to the job I am working on. Before this, it was all stick welding.
For those who don’t know, flux-cored welding is a welding process that combines features of both MIG and stick welding, and can be thought of as a hybrid of the two processes. Flux-cored machines look similar to MIG welding machines, as they both support wire-based welding processes in which the wire, or electrode, is fed through a protective cable and out the tip of a welding torch controlled by the welder. But unlike MIG welding, no shielding gas is used because the wire is coated in flux, which makes it similar to stick welding. Accordingly, flux-cored welding is often used as an alternative to stick welding and can be performed indoors or outdoors.
What’s your favorite welding process and why?
I'm having a fun time with flux-cored; it's kind of new to me so it's a new beast. I'm having fun figuring out how to tame it. The welds are 3/32” – they have to be nice and small and uniform. It’s fun to sharpen it and have it look better and better every day.
How many people are in your apprenticeship cohort?
I think we're down to 10.
What happened to the other people?
Maybe it just wasn't for them.
Do you work both indoors and outdoors?
The job I’m currently on is indoors, but before that, through this long, cold winter, I was outside. And now that the weather's turned, I am inside!
What is it like to work outside when it’s very hot or very cold, raining or snowing?
The summers are hot and the winters are cold, so you definitely need to have thick skin, not mind the element of the weather, and probably be somewhat of an outdoorsy person. But nothing, nothing beats the sunrises I’m blessed to see every morning, especially when you're high up on the buildings and can see the sun just come over the horizon. It's beautiful.
What time do you wake up to be on site at 7 a.m.?
I’ve got it good right now; I'm kind of close to the job site so I wake up at 6 a.m. At one point, I was living in South Lyon and working in Saginaw.
Wow, that’s at least an hour and a half drive each way! What time did you have to wake up for that job?
4 a.m.
Are you a morning person?
You have to be a morning person.
And if you're not, you have to learn how to be.
Yeah. Well, what I told myself is, I'm never happy waking up at 4 a.m. I'm never happy waking up at 6 a.m. I’m not happy waking up at 8 a.m. But once you get your day going, it's alright. I enjoy getting work out of the way and having the rest of my day; getting out by 3 o'clock is not bad at all.
Your supervisors have told me they are impressed with your drive and welding skill. Do you see yourself taking on a leadership role within the Ironworkers in the future?
I would love to. That's the goal. I like getting my hands on everything. I like learning everything there is to do in the trade. There are so many things and it's never going to get boring. I hope one day I can have my own team.
What type of work do ironworkers perform in Alaska?
I spoke to the coordinator there and they typically do work on a big Army base. There are no skyscrapers in Alaska, but they’ve got buildings going up here and there. Work is definitely better here in Detroit though.
Are you familiar with Ironworkers Local 40 in New York City? They regularly work on a ton of tall skyscrapers.
Local 40 is badass – they're a different breed. The buildings are a lot taller and you gotta be a lot tougher.
Do you have advice for women who may be interested in pursuing a path in ironworking?
Don't psych yourself out. Try it. I didn’t even think about it until I started the process and now here I am with two and a half years under my belt, which is the longest I've ever done anything. And I’m still looking forward to the next step. It's been very fruitful for me and I can see the benefits that it could provide for anyone, especially females.
You’re 28 years old, what are your future career aspirations?
I don't have to worry so much about my career in the future because I know I have a future career. I have a place through which I'll be taken care of, and benefits and good pay, and something that will help me support a comfortable way of living.
“Women Who Weld has changed my life. Hands down, the most meaningful opportunity I’ve been blessed with.”
What do you like most about being an ironworker?
Definitely the camaraderie. I was always bummed out I never had a brother growing up and now I have hundreds. So that's really cool. I've always played sports, so I do well in a team format; everyone kind of working together for the one common goal – to get the job done as long as we make sure each other goes home safe every day.
What are some challenges you’ve encountered as an ironworker, if any?
Finding a good porta-potty. At least with Barton Malow they make sure there's a women's one that stays locked and all the women have the keys. So that's real nice.
How many other female ironworker apprentices are currently in Local 25?
When I joined, I believe there was only one other female who was already in the apprenticeship program. Since then, I think about 10 women have joined and that number is climbing. And I just want to tell all the women in the world about it because it just wasn't sold as an option to me. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I didn't want to go to school and I didn't realize I had this option until you presented it to me. It's so good to see more women getting involved and to have more sisters.
Women Who Weld recently became an approved pre-apprenticeship program for Ironworkers Local 25, which means anyone who completes our intensive welding training program – and meets Local 25’s minimum requirements – will be eligible for direct entry into Local 25’s apprenticeship training program.
In your opinion, why do you think more women are joining the Ironworkers in the last few years?
Probably because old stereotypes are starting to crumble away. It’s a male-dominated trade, but it doesn't necessarily mean that women can't do it. And I think more and more women are starting to realize that we can work just as hard as the guy next to us, if not harder.
And, among the trade unions, the Ironworkers are probably the most progressive and most welcoming of women, especially in recent years.
Yeah, I personally have had no issues with harassment or anything like that. I was a little nervous when I first joined but it's been a wonderful community and environment to be a part of. And I'd say the Ironworkers are definitely the most close-knit out of all the trades because I feel like our lives are most at risk on a day-to-day basis. So it really brings you closer in a way and it’s like a family dynamic.
What are your hobbies outside of welding?
I play hockey. I love being outside. Any active outdoor activities: kayaking, hiking, stuff like that.
If you weren’t an ironworker, which career path may you have chosen?
I don't know; I might still be burning myself out on these six-month gigs, wondering what I could try next that might stick. Being an ironworker gives me a sense of purpose. You put your hands on something day after day, and it's hard work, but at the end of it, you can drive down the road and pass the hotel you just spent the last year building, or whatever it is, and it’s great to be able to say you were a part of it. I've really turned into that trades dad, like, “I built that!”
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
Alaska. Ever since going there I can't stop thinking about it; it’s just, it’s where I need to be.