Learning to Weld Gave Me the Stability Bartending Never Could

Studied: Welding techniques at George Brown College (2022)
Current Job: Lab operations and development technologist at George Brown College
Location: Toronto
Age: 45

I worked as a bartender in Toronto for more than 24 years. I had tried other careers throughout my twenties, like personal training and sports media, but I always went back to bartending. 

I was laid off when COVID hit. My son, who I’m raising on my own, was two years old at the time. Government benefits helped me pay my bills, along with delivering Cornershop orders on my bike, but it wasn’t enough. By February of 2021, things felt bleak. On the way to daycare with my son, we’d pass construction sites where people were still able to work, despite the lockdowns. I had a lightbulb moment—I should go to trade school. Working as a tradesperson would give me the benefits and job security that gigs in the service industry would never provide. 

I googled trade schools and applied to three different programs at George Brown College: construction techniques, welding techniques and electrical techniques. Welding was the first one to accept me. I was really excited. I thought welding was a super cool and dynamic trade—something I could see myself doing. The only experience I had with making things was in my middle school industrial arts class, where I made a lamp and a hammer out of steel. I really loved that class, but back then, no one was telling 13-year-old girls to become a tradesperson.

I needed money to pay for tuition and support my family while I was in school, but I was able to get help from my band office, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, along with other bursaries and grants. I started the eight-month welding techniques program at George Brown in May of 2022. The moment I walked into the shop, I knew the program was meant for me. I loved everything about it, from the smell to the grittiness of the atmosphere. We learned fabrication, metallurgy—the chemistry and physics behind how different metals react to heat—as well as arc welding and oxy-fuel welding. We also learned how to read and draw blueprints. There were 20 people in my class, all young men except for one other woman. She was 10 years older than me and undertaking a similar career transition.

Just before I graduated in December of 2022, I applied for a job as a part-time welding technologist at George Brown. I started working at the college in January, helping the full-time technologist run our five shops. This involved ensuring that all the right materials and consumables used in the classes, like spools of wire, electrodes and contact tips, were stocked. That summer, the full-time technologist moved into another role and I took over their job. 

The position is a lot of responsibility and there are millions of things to keep track of, but I love it. There’s always something new to do, build, repair or learn. It’s never boring. I didn’t realize how many transferable skills I had from bartending, like being organized, multitasking, prioritizing tasks, proper use of space and talking with different people. 

I’m so happy I made the decision to go to college. Life is less stressful now because my income is higher and steady, and I have a generous benefits package. Now when my son wants to do something, like go to an indoor playground or go out for dinner, I can provide that for him. He always used to get hand-me-downs, but recently, I bought him a brand-new, fancy bike.