Program seeks to boost women in short-handed manufacturing fields By
Jim McKay Welding and machining have traditionally been male careers, but a newly released federal grant is aimed at opening those manufacturing fields to women. Applications from women are being accepted for free classes to begin this fall in both machining and welding courses that can take 17 to 22 weeks to complete. There are no income guidelines. The program is being paid for by a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to the Community Loan Fund of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a social service lender that provides capital to manufacturing firms and businesses. The fund is working with New Century Careers, a nonprofit that has been training welders and machinists since 1997, and Pennsylvania Women Work, a nonprofit that will offer child care, transportation assistance and other support services to female students. Barry Maciak, president of New Century Careers, said the program was designed to increase the diversity and pool of qualified applicants for skilled manufacturing jobs. Women now make up less than 2 percent of the region's machinists and less than 4 percent of welders. Even though manufacturing is among the industries that have been shedding jobs, Maciak said a recent survey of manufacturers by Duquesne University's Center for Competitive Workforce Development found 1,200 openings for skilled workers in a nine-county region around Pittsburgh. "We work with over 160 companies. Not all are looking for workers right now, but many of them are," he said. In general, those employers are looking for machinists who can operate lathes, mills, grinders and drill presses, as well as read blueprints, and welders who can operate computer-aided design and manufacturing equipment. Math and precision measuring are important to both. New Century says it has graduated more than 600 machinists and welders since 1997 and has placed about 70 percent of them with employers in this region. Maciak said New Century's graduates have seen starting salaries ranging from $8.50 an hour to $12 an hour with benefits. "There's tremendous opportunity for growth and advancement," Maciak said, noting that manufacturing wages average more than $40,000 a year. Mary Ann Eisenreich, director of Pennsylvania Women Work, said her organization would help mentor successful applicants as they take the courses, which will start next month and in February. "We're really excited about this program because it appears that the manufacturing field is reopening for jobs," she said. Those interested in applying for the program should call New Century Careers at 1-800-822-9337 or visit the organization's Web site at www.ncsquared.com. |
