Episode 245: From Fabric to Fire with Kayla Vander Molen

The CWB Association brings you a weekly podcast that connects welding professionals worldwide and underrepresented communities as we continue to strive for a more diverse workforce. Join us as we celebrate Women Empowerment Month to learn about the incredible contributions of Women in the welding industry and our communities.

Kayla Vander Molen’s path into welding started in an unexpected place, fashion design, until a spark from metal set her on a new course. Kayla is a Red Seal Pressure Welder, Boilermaker, Pre-Apprenticeship Instructor, Entrepreneur, and a Mother while helping shape the next generation of tradespeople in Canada. In this episode, Kayla shares what it’s like to enter the trades without a blue-collar background, the importance of strong fundamentals and mentorship, and the realities of building a career as a woman in welding. From navigating certifications across provinces to standout projects and launching WeldTux, her story blends grit and growth.

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Transcript

Sponsor Offer And Show Opening

SPEAKER_03 0:01

Welcome to the CWB Association Welding Podcast. I'm your host, Kevin O'Wat. Let's flip up the lid and spark some conversation. Attention welders in Canada. Looking for top quality welding supplies? Look no further than Canada Welding Supply. With a vast selection of premium equipment, safety gear, and consumables, CWS has got you covered. They offer fast and reliable shipping across the country. And here's the best part podcast listeners get 10% off any pair of welding gloves. Use code CWB10 at checkout when placing your next order. Visit Canada Welding Supply.ca now. Canada Welding Supply, your trusted welding supplier. Happy welding. Welcome to the CWB Association Welding Podcast. Now March is Women Empowerment Month on the CWB Association Welding Podcast, and we're turning up the heat this month on the stories that spark change. We celebrate the women who strike arcs, break barriers, lead crews, mentor apprenticeship, run businesses, and shape the future of Canada's welding industry. March is our spotlight moment, but the work, the recognition, and the respect that goes year around. So today I have a special guest with me, Kayla Vander Molen. Hello.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Hey there, Kevin. How's it going?

SPEAKER_03 1:28

Really well yourself?

SPEAKER_02 1:30

Fantastic. Thank you very much for having me on today.

SPEAKER_03 1:33

Oh, absolutely. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Uh currently I'm on maternity leave. I am a new mom. Uh, but professionally I am a pressure welder of 15 years, and I'm currently a pre-apprentice instructor and welding examiner with the boilermakers.

SPEAKER_03 1:54

That's awesome. So growing up, did you want to be a welder?

SPEAKER_02 1:59

I don't come from a blue-collar background whatsoever. And I initially went to school for fashion enzyme because I liked working with my hands. I enjoyed making something basically from raw materials. And I quickly realized the environment wasn't for me. And uh when I had that understanding that I needed to find a place that just fit for what my interests were and where I wanted to grow, I went to Algonquin College for an open house night and came across a table of elaborate metal art, fell in love with it right away and said, that's what I want to be able to learn how to do. And right then and there I signed up for some night courses, and that's the rest is history, basically.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

So, what made you realize that the fashion side of things wasn't for you? You like working with your hands, but why wasn't fashion the thing?

SPEAKER_02 2:54

Something was missing. The community wasn't for me, it just didn't fit my personal personality, uh, as well as the type of materials I was doing. As I finish up a project, I wouldn't get that same kind of sense of fulfillment. And that's what I was chasing at the time. What can make me feel fulfilled at the end of the day? And that's what metal has been able to bring into my life.

SPEAKER_03 3:22

So you saw this table of artwork, and right then and there, you're like, I'm going to take some night courses.

SPEAKER_02 3:29

Yeah, I I asked the individual who is manning the table, like, how do I get into this? He asked, was it specific art that you want to get into? And I said, I am up for anything. I am brand new. What is available? And that's when they told me about night courses, and we went from there.

SPEAKER_03 3:49

What was it like jumping into things? Like not coming from a welding or industry background, what was it like just jumping into it?

Moving West And Finding Boilermakers

SPEAKER_02 3:58

It was definitely intimidating. I didn't fully know what to expect. I didn't know the kinds of crowds that I'd be introduced to because I never really worked with fire and steel. Um, I was just nervous about the PPE in general. I just wanted to set myself up for success. I was very intrigued though. And I'm so glad that I went for it. I stepped outside my comfort zone because it has led me to where I am today and the person I am today as well. And I'm very thankful because now I'm able to actually make a positive impact on other people starting their career from all different backgrounds.

SPEAKER_03 4:40

So once you left those courses that you were taking, did you take anything else that was formal? Or I do have in the notes here that you joined the boilermakers. You're a boilermaker or pressure welder. So what happened in between there?

SPEAKER_02 4:53

Uh, I didn't join the boilermakers for a couple more years. I didn't even know the boilermakers at that time, uh, unfortunately. Um, I ended up taking a 10-month program at O'Gongrin College to understand the foundations of metal fabrication and welding, because when it comes to welding, you can burn a rod, but can you fit? Right. And all welders know that too well. So I did that. I found a couple of jobs in and around the Ottawa area and realized I want to make better money. I want more um vast job opportunities. And I knew out west there was pipelines, there was uh Fort McMurray. And so I came out to Alberta and discovered life out here. And that is when I finally discovered the Boilermakers, and I'm really glad I did because the Boilermakers actually provided me with a mentorship uh that I was looking for for many years.

SPEAKER_03 5:53

Yeah, I was going to ask you about that. You know, like what is a boilermaker? Obviously, it's it's union work, but what does a boilermaker do?

SPEAKER_02 6:02

The boilermaker or any boilermaker has a vast set of skill sets, and we need that because every job site that we're at has a different scope. But boilermakers, we maintain uh pressure equipment, boilers, um, any heavy in uh uh industrial work is what we do. We are the ones who powered the industrial revolution. Well, we're one of the teams, I'm not gonna leave out the iron workers because I know you're an iron worker.

SPEAKER_03 6:32

I am not I'm I am not an iron worker. I actually a little background on me since you know we kind of know each other, but not really.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

Is oh okay.

SPEAKER_03 6:40

I I have been working in the same shop for the last 20 years as of next month. Um, they took me from Apprentice, and I am now foreman of that shop and uh non-union, also pressure welder. Um, but I've done all types of weird stuff, so yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Oh, okay, interesting.

SPEAKER_03 7:00

I know where you're getting that from, though, because I'm usually at the Iron Workers Hall in Hamilton when I do the videos. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

All right. Well, I apologize for not confirming before I brought that up.

SPEAKER_03 7:13

No, that's okay. Um, we can talk about unions later if you want. But, anyways, carry on. So, Boilermakers, you basically uh revolutionize the world with boilers and steam and and getting things moving.

SPEAKER_02 7:27

Yeah, we build things from the ground up and we maintain them throughout their entire life cycle so they can continue to work safe and continue to either refine the oil or generate electricity, and that just sums it up in a nutshell.

SPEAKER_03 7:41

So, when did you get your pressure ticket? When did you start working on pressure equipment? How early in your career was that?

SPEAKER_02 7:47

Well, I'm gonna backtrack a little bit. I got my CWB opposition structural, my first one in 2013. And then I got my my uh Alberta B pressure in 2017. Because when I came out to Alberta, I had to backtrack a little bit and I started the apprenticeship from scratch because, like I said, I didn't really have a mentor and I didn't know the necessary steps that I had to take. And any of my education from Ontario wasn't transferable to Alberta because I wasn't a journeyman, red seal. And nowadays, being in my position, I see a lot of people in the same predicament. And that's why it would be amazing if we were able to standardize the welding trade across Canada, because we would have uh less issues of filling manpower.

SPEAKER_03 8:40

I completely agree. Like there's an interprovincial Red Seal exam. Why isn't welder a uh now I'm missing out on the term, but why isn't it a mandatory trade in all provinces, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:55

Yeah, I 100% are uh am on the same page.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

So how much of your you know 15 years of experience has been out in the field? So since you moved to Alberta, how much of that was just like out there doing it?

SPEAKER_02 9:11

I would say probably about five years out in the field. Now, not just with Boilmakers, but I worked in construction sites, different sites like that, non-union.

SPEAKER_03 9:22

Cool. So now we kind of touched on your your fashion background. How I'm curious, like, how does fashion and welding uh kind of mesh? How like there's got to be some kind of transferable skills. I'm big on transferable skills.

SPEAKER_02 9:39

I would have to say the only difference is the materials that we're using because we're both working with patterns. We both need to cut the raw material, shape the material, and fuse it together with whatever means. As welders, obviously with our ARC, with uh seamstresses, with their needle and thread. So the the skills you you have to have good hand-eye coordination, patience, critical thinking, and understanding the basics of blueprint reading. Even though they are obviously slightly different. Um so joining the trade, I already had that as a foundation with a fashion experience. So it was very, I wouldn't say easy, but it provided me the confidence that I needed to move forward.

Breaking Into Work As A Woman

SPEAKER_03 10:30

Very cool. I guess looking back at your earlier years in the trade, what kind of challenges did you have coming up? Um, you know, not just as you know, a young person in the trades and being fresh, but maybe as a woman.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Um, I have to say some of the challenges first was finding employment. Um, I applied to so many jobs, and the reply I would get from a lot of potential employers is uh, you know, we only have one bathroom, or yeah, the guys like to swear, it might be offensive. So after basically getting the same retort day in and day out, I finally found one employer and I had a different approach and I said, Hey, I'm here to volunteer. They're like, excuse me. And I was like, Yeah, I'm here to volunteer to do some welding for you. Uh, when can I start? Hey, you know why? When when you keep getting barriers, you have to change tactics. So that was how I approached it. And I said, if you like my work ethic by the end of the day, please hire me. If you don't, well, hey, you know what? You got a day of free labor. And by the afternoon, they asked me when I could start. And I was making about$11 an hour. Because you know, that's why we get into welding for$11 an hour.

SPEAKER_03 11:52

Exactly. You, I mean, obviously you showed that you love welding enough to do it for free, which is a great sign right there. But um, eleven dollars an hour, and that's with, I mean, you had some accreditation from from Ontario, but when you showed up there, you didn't really have anything behind you.

SPEAKER_02 12:10

I had some education, but that was 2012, right? So, you know, things were a little different.

SPEAKER_03 12:18

11 bucks an hour. That that blows my mind. Although, you know what? I started my first job, I was$12.50 an hour a welding job. Here we are. I mean, I guess if they can get you for that much, they're gonna get you.

SPEAKER_02 12:32

But when you got your first welding employment, what was your credentials? What kind of welding background did you have at that time?

SPEAKER_03 12:41

So I had my level one and level two schooling. So I took a pre-employment course, which was about eight months long. Um, but I only had enough hours for I guess level one. So you have to work your way up. So I had all of the schooling. I was very book smart in welding, but as I found out in my first couple weeks, is I didn't really know how to weld, how to fit. I knew how to weld six inches at a time, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:05

But it's all about passion and wanting to get better at your trade. So if you stick it out, the more money will come.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Absolutely. And if you're sticking welding, you only need to weld six inches at a time.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

Very true, very true. Those things do burn out pretty quick. So, how long did you stay at that$11? Like it took me a month and a half, and then they bumped me up 50 cents. But how long did it take you?

SPEAKER_02 13:32

I was there for eight months.

SPEAKER_03 13:34

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

I I got an additional 50 cents with uh some CWV tickets that I had.

SPEAKER_03 13:41

Yeah, do you want to shout out this employer on here?

SPEAKER_02 13:45

No, I don't because they gave me a start.

SPEAKER_03 13:48

Yes, yes, they did. So after eight months, you got a raise or did you leave?

SPEAKER_02 13:53

I ended up leaving, yeah. And I I did some government work after that. I wanted to make more money, and the federal government offered me more money for a period of time just for contract work.

SPEAKER_03 14:05

And that was not trade related. You were doing something else?

SPEAKER_02 14:08

Yep. Okay, from$11 an hour to 22, it's uh it's hard to pass up.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

I would have done the same. So, how long did you work for the government?

SPEAKER_02 14:19

For six months, because it was only a contract.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Okay, yeah, fair enough. And how did you jump back into welding after that?

SPEAKER_02 14:27

Oh, I would I went running back because I'm not a cubicle kind of person, I'm not one to sit at a desk for hours on end. So I definitely got back to welding as quickly as possible. And of course, because I had the background, I had different experiences on my resume, I was then able to make more money.

SPEAKER_03 14:50

So looking back at your long and slightly tumultuous uh welding career, um, what are some of the projects that you've worked on that you're you're most proud of?

SPEAKER_02 15:01

I have a couple. I have the biggest project I worked on, uh, arts related, and then I have one of the most challenging projects. So I'm gonna start with the arts. I was working in a machine shop and they would take different contracts in here or there. A couple of guys that were working on the set Hell on Wheels end up getting another project, and it was to build Bud Weiser's hockey goal light. But this thing was 25 feet tall. So I fabricated it, I made it, they end up doing a commercial for uh the Super Bowl, and that was back in 2014, I think. And yeah, it it was really neat because Wayne Gretzky got to sign this. It traveled across Canada. My dad, who's a major hockey fan, was obviously incredibly proud. And just to build something of that scale in an artistic manner, really gave me um the passion that I really needed at that time. And I knew that I wanted to work on larger scale projects, which is perfect because I became a boilermaker and got just that. So, yeah, that was really neat.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

That is amazing. Um, where is this thing now?

SPEAKER_02 16:16

Good question. I think Budweiser owns it. I I would have to check that out.

SPEAKER_03 16:21

Man, that would be so cool. I would reach out to them, be like, I made that thing. I need I need some time with it. Can I take it home? Like, what are we doing here?

SPEAKER_02 16:30

Or I've reached out to them. They already know who the fabricator is.

SPEAKER_03 16:33

Okay, good, good, good. So then I guess on the industrial side, what was your favorite thing?

SPEAKER_02 16:41

So the most challenging thing that I've done was welding thin gauge stainless steel on magnets. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:53

Yeah, that is that is something else.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

So there are industrial magnets about 20 inches in diameter, and it was in a stainless steel casing because it's for a conveyor belt. I had to remove part of the casing and reweld it. And as you know, there's arc flare all over the place because the magnetism. So I'm thinking to myself, I could either do what a lot of welders do and wrap my cables just to demagnetize it a little bit, but that would have defeated the purpose because they want it to be magnetized. And after a lot of trial and error, I became really good at amidextrous TIG welding. Very good. And what I finally figured out what works is if I get a lot of really thick solid steel bricks and put it around the weld zone, it distracts magnetism.

SPEAKER_03 17:51

See, my mind just got expanded just now. That's so smart.

SPEAKER_02 17:55

And I was able to weld it, no, well, not no problem, but I was able to weld it where it was a solid bond, and I was able to walk away from that project proud of my bead. And having those little ha ha moments as a welder, you know, you just get so much pride.

SPEAKER_03 18:14

Yeah. And then you get to kind of keep those, you know, under your jacket for the time that it comes up in the field later on. And you're, yeah, I'm the person, just right here. Trust me, I got this. Yeah, everyone's all scared of that.

SPEAKER_02 18:27

What was your favorite project you worked on?

SPEAKER_03 18:30

Oh man. Like, I'm I'm really bad at this. Like, it's I just I love every aspect of welding. Like, I love my art. I'm most proud of my art for sure. But I guess for me, it would be the more industrial projects. Uh, and I've done a ton of stuff here in the Regina area where I can just like point to a building or point to this handrail or point to this, like whenever I'm with my kids or my family, be like, I built that. You know, that that landmark right here on City City Center, I made that. This little thing, that's that's just I get the pride in the work, not just like from the one thing, I guess. I don't know. I'm weird.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

Oh, I I completely can relate to you there.

SPEAKER_03 19:14

Yeah, it's again like you've got 15 years, I got 20 years, you know. After a certain while, the memory gets a little foggy, the projects run together.

What Makes A Great Welder

SPEAKER_02 19:24

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 19:25

So, what do you think separates a good welder from a great welder?

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Consistency and showing up. Because some people are natural welders, and some people have to really work for it, right? Um, and I've met some people where welding did not come naturally to them. Heck, I I'm one of those people as well. Um, when it comes to stainless stick, just that it was very difficult for me.

SPEAKER_03 19:56

That's I mean, if that comes easy and natural to you, you're a weird person because stainless stick is very tough, especially going uphill. Give me a break.

SPEAKER_02 20:05

Oh, yeah. So I I would just have to constantly work at it, work at it. Well, if you think about it, welding skills is like a muscle. You have to constantly work out in order to keep it strong. And if you don't do it for a little while, then you know it's gonna feel like you're starting at square one again. That's my differentiation of a good welder to a great welder.

SPEAKER_03 20:27

Well, thanks for that. We're gonna stop here for a short little break to hear from our podcast sponsors.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

The CWB Association is new and improved and focused on you. We offer a free membership with lots of benefits to anyone interested in joining an association that is passionate about welding. We are committed to educating, informing, and connecting our workforce. Gain access to your free digital publication of the weld magazine, free online training, conferences, and lots of giveaways. Reach out to your local CWB Association chapter today to connect with other welding professionals and share welding as a trade in your community. Build your career, stay informed, and support the Canadian welding industry. Join today and learn more at CWBassociation.org.

SPEAKER_03 21:15

Okay, welcome back to this episode of the CWB Association Welding Podcast with my friend Kayla. So during the break, um, we just got to chatting because that's what you do. And I got a small tour of the shop. So tell us a little bit about the space you're in.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Uh, space I'm in is my my garage that my husband and I worked at building up. So we have a couple of welders, we have a plasma table, so we can do our own projects and our metal art here at home. So I get to teach welding and weld during my day job and come home and do more welding because that's just what we do.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

That that is what we do, yeah. Those are the ones that love welding. I know a ton of welders that hate welding. So the ones that come home and still do it, those are the ones you want to learn from. So another thing you mentioned during the break, which I I need to bring up, is the art table that really lit your passion in welding was whose table?

SPEAKER_02 22:20

So yeah, all those years ago when I was looking for a new career and I came across the elaborate metal art table. I finally met that artist more than a year after that moment. And uh he's now my husband. We we met during a CWB test.

SPEAKER_03 22:38

Well, there you go. It comes full circle.

SPEAKER_02 22:41

Yes, it does. And it's really nice that we're still heavily involved in the metal art all these years later. And he's helped me and taught me so much uh just about molding steel, and I'm very appreciative of that.

Teaching Pre Apprentices And Asking Questions

SPEAKER_03 22:56

That's great. They have such a cool partnership, and and you guys can work and make art together. And uh, I love that. I love that. So touched a little bit on your teaching. So you are teaching pre-apprenticeship students. What is that? So what is that like?

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Honestly, every class is slightly different, but I love it. And a couple of reasons why I love it is because you get to see the passion ignited in people. So the foundation of the pre-apprenticeship program is offered by the boilermakers and it's part of the recruitment. So are you interested to start a career in the industrial uh world? You come to ARIS, which is an apprenticeship recruitment information seminar, so you can learn more in-depth understanding of who the boilermakers are, what our job scope is, so on and so forth, and the union philosophy. And then if they can pass an aptitude test and they realize that this is the direction they want to take their career in, and they can pass the drug and alcohol as well, then they are welcome to come to a two-week pre-apprenticeship program. Now, this year is just in Alberta. I can't speak for other locals across the country because every local does things differently. But my coworker and I, that's what we do in both Edmonton and Calgary. We introduce the basic foundations of the trade. So I teach the basics of welding, rigging, and fitting. We talk about workplace culture, what it's like to travel for work, uh, what does uh a good union brother or sister do? And then at the end of the course, hopefully they pass and then they can continue their apprenticeship with the boilermakers. Or maybe partway through the course, they can say, you know what, I'm afraid of fire, or I don't like working with a nine-inch grinder. I'm gonna go do something else. As much as I love welding, rigging, and fitting, doesn't mean that's for everyone. Someone maybe is best suited for HVAC or electrical, right? So this opens their eyes to different opportunities. And I'm really glad because I'm able to now be a mentor that I wish that I had when I first started. So I really like to go in depth and go off the beaten path to help people out to the best of my ability just because of my diverse uh background into the trades.

SPEAKER_03 25:23

So, what kind of um what kind of skills or good habits do you try to uh instill in these people or or what do you see in in these people that would maybe make them a good trades person?

SPEAKER_02 25:38

I would say showing up on time, um having a clear head, making sure you you're there because you want to do the best job you possibly can. Now you're not there just for money, but you're there because of passion. You want to excel at your craft. And just giving a damn about the trade and to understand all the directions that it can go in and asking the questions that can help propel your career forward, that's what I see most in the successful applicants. People who will come and practice at the hall so they can increase that skill set. And guess what? If they're afraid or not not afraid, if they're um uncertain about how to do something, they're not afraid to ask questions.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

That is a huge one that keeps coming up in a lot of these episodes is asking questions, not being scared, not feeling stupid to ask a question, because you know, 90% of people out there have the same question. They just don't want to ask. And guess what? You're gonna be the one that progresses further because you asked, because you reached out.

SPEAKER_02 26:49

100% can't agree with that more. Um, and so many people unfortunately are afraid to ask these questions, but I can also understand it because the average age of a tradesperson is in their later 20s, early 30s. And that's someone just entering the trade, right? So by that time, we're adults and it's very vulnerable to say, hey, guess what? I don't know something. So that's one of the reasons why during CWB content videos, we like to go into detail about the basics of the trade. And I see you talking on it as well in a lot of your educational videos, it just simplifying matters on how to do testing or how steel works. And I find social media opens the door to a lot of individuals who may be afraid to ask those questions.

SPEAKER_03 27:39

Yeah, very true. It's I don't know if it's just social media in general or the fact that we're all on technology now, but we're not talking to each other in person. It's easy to ask questions, but it's also easy to get sideways real quick. Do you think people are more timid to talk person to person nowadays?

SPEAKER_02 28:00

I believe so. Yeah, technology makes things easier for people to ask questions because you're behind a screen, right? And that screen acts as a a barrier or a shield for that person. At least that's my perspective.

SPEAKER_03 28:14

Yeah, I I agree with you. Um, I find that communication skills uh have changed a lot. While I was going to school, when I came up, it was it was way different. You know, people weren't afraid to speak their mind face to face and deal with the consequences. Now now it's I'm just gonna, you know, be quiet and and do my thing, whether it's right or wrong. And then later on, I'm gonna get on a screen and then just go crazy on a bunch of strangers.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

It's cultural though, right? It's there's a certain level of acceptance of doing that with the online community.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

Yep. I was gonna say, I mean, haters haters bring the views, right? It's that controversial controversial content that brings the views.

SPEAKER_02 28:59

It does, it does. Um, more views the better. But it's it's really good though that CWB is embarking on this direction because it's legitimate information, right? It's not just someone's uh experience working in the garage for a couple of hours and saying, oh, this is how we do a test if it's not the correct procedure. At least CWB will give the necessary correct information.

SPEAKER_03 29:30

Yeah, I completely agree with that. Um, and we're you know, I'm not trying to pump CWB's tires here, we're all grateful and thankful, but what we put out yourself, myself is certified content. It is certified the correct way to do things. Where sometimes you get on YouTube and you find exactly somebody in their garage doing it their way, which you know what, it might work in some instances, but if you're going to be a certified welder in this certified procedure, learn from someone who is certified, learn from the correct procedure.

Making Certified Training Content

SPEAKER_02 30:04

Correct, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 30:06

So, what made you start filming CWB videos?

SPEAKER_02 30:10

So, how I was able to start filming for the CWB is CWB initially came out with a UTIP program with a boilermaker. So it's called Filling the Gap Pressure Weld Training. And as I'm a pre-apprentice instructor and it's filmed at the Boilermaker Hall, I was asked to actually do the initial film content for this on how to weld out a six-inch pipe and how to weld with different alloys and different structural uh components. So, from those videos, that's when CWB reached out to me to ask if I could do more content.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

That is awesome. You were already legit before coming over. Thank you. Um, so you mentioned the American Welding Program. How does that all tie into this?

SPEAKER_02 31:02

Well, the CWB has a branch down into the United States called American Welding Program. It's relatively new program, um, but it's a lot of the same modules and content, but reband rebranded for the American populace.

SPEAKER_03 31:20

Now that's I think that's really cool uh because from what I've heard, the United States is kind of like the wild, wild west of welding. Every state has their own little qualifications or certifications, the the wages differ greatly. Texas, it's its own beast of a thing. So it's it's good to see that you know the CWB is going down there because again, structured certified procedures, and you test for those procedures. You when you have your CWB ticket, you're legit.

SPEAKER_02 31:57

Yeah. Across Canada, and hopefully uh they're able to establish um the consistency of these qualifications throughout the United States. But everything takes time.

Motherhood And Work Life Balance

SPEAKER_03 32:10

Yeah, absolutely. So we touched a little bit on it. Mommy brain, you just recently became a mom. How old is your son?

SPEAKER_02 32:18

My son is six months old.

SPEAKER_03 32:20

Oh wow. Yes, that is fresh.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

It it's a shift in life for sure, uh, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

SPEAKER_03 32:30

So you you are an instructor, you are a business owner, which we should talk about your business in a moment. You're an artist, you create content. How do you balance it all? And and how has all this kind of changed your mindset about work-life balance?

SPEAKER_02 32:49

That's a great question. Um, I think you learn to balance it day by day. And I'm very fortunate to have a supportive partner. When I get back to work, that's when I'm really going to understand work-life balance a little bit in more in depth. Right now, I'm just enjoying every moment I can with my son. But anytime I get to come into the shop or do some filming, I will definitely do that because it brings me back to my roots. And welding is a therapy. As anybody who loves welding knows, the second you drop your lid and you strike that arc, that's what you're thinking about. Uh, you're not thinking about sleep deprivation. You're not thinking about what you need to cook for dinner that night. You're not thinking uh about anything outside of what's in front of you. And that's another thing I love about welding. Another part of work-life balance, I do a lot for my business during nap times. And it works.

SPEAKER_03 33:47

Yeah, I mean, you you fit in life when you can. Um, I've got a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old. So I'm I'm out of, you know, the sleepless nights.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

Yeah.

WeldTuxed Gear And Helmet Giveaway

SPEAKER_03 33:57

But um, yeah, I I remember to this day, it was just like on and off. Like I learned to work on four hours of sleep, and it wasn't like a straight four hours, you'd be like two hours here, and then you're up, and then two hours there, and then you know, my wife, and then all this stuff, and like trying to work overtime, trying to do my own thing. So you you learn, and and life happens in between those moments. So tell us tell us about your business.

SPEAKER_02 34:25

So, my business, I recently decided to establish it. It's called Weld Tuxed. Um, as a proud Canadian, we look really snazzy in our Canadian tuxedo and blue collar, right? Uh that's where the foundation and the idea of this business came from. I've been doing chop tops, uh, leather welding helmets for years now. And I decided to finally start selling them out to the public. I make other welding apparel that I just found has worked for me over the years. Uh, for example, like uh heat shields. We all know those reflective heat shields cost 14, 15 bucks. They smell like pure chemicals worse than a 6010 electrode and they don't last long. So I started making a thick veg tan uh heat shield, and man, oh man, you can put that through the ringer and it works perfectly. So everything that I've come out with, I've had to use in my own career. Plus, with my understanding of a fashion world, I've been branching into other things that I will eventually launch in the coming year.

SPEAKER_03 35:36

That is amazing. And unfortunately, we're not sharing video, but I got a small tour of the shop and I can see some lids in behind you, and they look amazing. I can also see some like specialized equipment there as well. So, what kind of equipment do you have here?

SPEAKER_02 35:52

I have a laser engraver. This particular laser engraver uh allows for me to work with wood. So I do industrial style plaques to celebrate milestones of trade workers. Um, it also allows for me to etch and cut leather. And so that's how I make a lot of my leather beards. I also have a plasma table for those industrial plaques and for my husband's business as well, since he has something separate than what I have. But yeah, uh handful of lids. One of them is for the CWB. Um that's going to be given out real soon later this month on the 24th for your the CWV trivia night.

SPEAKER_03 36:33

Oh man, I hope I hope the timing works out and this episode drops right before that. But the hood looks amazing, guys. Uh definitely show up to trivia. So this is kind of a fresh venture for you. Um if you want to just you know, shout out your your um your Instagram tag for that.

SPEAKER_02 36:53

Yeah, my Instagram is at weldtux and my website has dropped as well, and I'm gonna be giving away a welding helmet by April 1st. So if you check out my Instagram account at weldtux, you're gonna see how you can win this welding helmet. That's about$400 all together. So, yeah, I'm pretty stoked to do that. I'm really excited to make it as well. Um, I really enjoy working with various types of leather to suit the styles of individual welders.

Growing Women’s Presence And Child Care

SPEAKER_03 37:26

Well, thanks very much for that. That's gonna be awesome. Very cool that you're doing that. Um, kind of bringing things back around. So you've been in the trade for 15 years. You're you're now training apprentices and figuring out, you know, who's gonna wait work out and where they're gonna end up. Has the number of women entering the trade changed?

SPEAKER_02 37:49

So over the last 10 years, we've had a lot more women coming into industry, and it's amazing to see that. You're you'll see that many different companies are also putting an emphasis on bringing more women into different trades and making the work culture safer for everyone and also a lot more comfortable for everyone. I never worked with another woman in industry until I became a boilermaker. And just to see the leaps and bounds that the boilermakers have been doing over the years, we now have a women's committee and that speaks volumes. And we also send um a group of our female demographic to trade women build nations on an annual basis, and that's where unionized tradeswomen from across North America come together on an annual basis, and there's 4,000 of us, and then we do a parade down the strip in Vegas or in New Orleans or Chicago, and it's very uplifting. And it's events like that that also help bring more women into industry because sometimes you just have to see someone in the shoes that you eventually want to fill.

SPEAKER_03 39:01

Very true. I'm really glad to hear that. So you've mentioned some of the changes that are happening within the industry, within employers. Do you see anything else people could be doing or the government could be doing to help these things along?

SPEAKER_02 39:18

Yes. Uh, the main thing that I hear from a lot of individuals is child care, especially for people that work different shifts. Maybe your shift starts at five in the morning till one in the afternoon or from two till 11. Men and women, we need childcare. There's single fathers or single mothers, there's dual-working families, there's people that work in the industrial sector away from home for a period of time. If we can really concentrate on figuring out how we can support our skilled trades groups with the necessary child care, that would be very helpful. And I've also seen a lot of businesses supporting their employees by offering maternity and paternity leave.

SPEAKER_03 40:03

Yeah, that's amazing because that has come up again in a few episodes that you know we need to be supporting our trade families. You know, we we work hard, we work a lot of hours, different types of hours, and you know, we want to raise a family. We wanna we wanna have it all, right? So if uh and and especially women coming up, like it it's going to happen. So if you're not supported, it's another thing that kind of it's like a door in your face, right? You you need that support.

SPEAKER_02 40:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 40:33

So what advice would you give somebody coming up or a woman coming up in the trades? That fear that you know maybe they won't fit in or or think that it's not gonna be for them.

SPEAKER_02 40:47

Stop limiting yourself. That's number one. Do your necessary research. Go to either an open house night for skilled trades or go to a local skill trade union hall, ask questions, see if it's for you because you're interviewing them just like they're interviewing you. It's a two-way street. And I want you to be able to take up space, ask those questions, have your shoulders back and your chin up, right? And know that you belong wherever you choose to be. Those are the little things. At the end of the day, it's confidence.

SPEAKER_03 41:25

Very true. Yeah, you uh you have to put yourself out there and you have to be tough. You know, the world can chew you up, but if you're out there confident, there's there's things waiting for everyone.

SPEAKER_02 41:38

Oh, yeah. And and in the trades, I know a lot of people have the stigma of, oh, it's rough and tough. Yeah, you know what? We like to have fun and and we might be crass at times. But at the end of the day, a lot of tradesmen are there just to have you under their wing and show you everything they know because they know that you're the future of this industry.

AI Simulators And Welding’s Future

SPEAKER_03 41:59

Yep. I'm not I'm not saying the trades are dying, but for a second there, people stopped caring about them. And us, you know, older people in the trades, we want to pass that down. It's we're not gatekeeping no more. We want to do this.

SPEAKER_02 42:12

Yeah, and we're definitely not dying with the with the trades, especially with uh the incoming AI wave.

SPEAKER_03 42:20

Yeah, if you want to touch on that, I have mixed feelings. You know, Skynet could take over tomorrow.

SPEAKER_02 42:27

We could, we could. That's why I'm a mother trying to raise my son like John Connor, but um well, one step at a time. But when the um CEO of BlackRock talks about the importance of skilled trades because of AI, you know, your ears perp up.

SPEAKER_03 42:46

Yeah, because that's billions and billions of dollars is just sitting there, right?

SPEAKER_02 42:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 42:52

So what do you think AI can do for the trades, not just in general, but for welding, let's say. What what what advantages does AI have with welding?

SPEAKER_02 43:03

I'm not too sure. I already see that a lot of the education for welding in different classrooms, such as in Hamilton, they have a full classroom automated welding machine. Not sorry, not automated welding machines, um, uh computerized welding machines. You don't even have to strike an arc. You press a button, you look at a computer, and you see your bead from there. Now, I have a different upbringing with welding. I believe that you get the best experience when you're actually in a welding shop because you get those small little burns from the spat, or you have the noise, you have the smoke, you have everything going on around you. I think anyone that's learning welding but is not in that exact environment may be a little surprised when they actually enter a welding shop.

SPEAKER_03 43:51

Yeah, very true. I've used um welding simulators before. They're they're great. They teach muscle memory, they're fun to play with, but I get the feeling that it's more of a video game than it is real welding because you get into that shop and you get your first burn, and that makes you think twice about your 100% score on your fillet weld.

SPEAKER_02 44:13

100%, yes.

SPEAKER_03 44:15

So basically, AI is not coming for welding, but it could help us in the future do things better and more efficient. Right on. So what is next for you, Kayla? You're obviously you're at home, you're building your business, you have a child. What's what's on the horizon? What's your five-year plan?

SPEAKER_02 44:36

Five-year plan. I'm going to continuously work on my business and see where this takes me. I don't want to put a cap on anything. Being a mother in the trade now gives me a new perspective of things. I'm wanting to continue to amplify my reach to bring more women into industry and show them that they belong here. I just want to do more of what I'm doing, honestly. Sometimes we constantly try and strive for something more, but what you're currently doing sometimes is perfect as is.

SPEAKER_03 45:11

I love that you just said that because I asked that question to a few people. And it's, you know, some people are very structured. They've got, you know, month by month, this is what's going to happen in their plans. But you know what? It's okay to just do what you're doing and to keep getting better at it.

SPEAKER_02 45:27

Well, if you think about it, if you're hit in the gym every single day and you're doing your squats a couple times a week and doing your overhead presses, over time, with that level of consistency, you're going to get the outcome that you're wanting. And so that's kind of my philosophy at the moment.

Mistakes Worth Laughing At

SPEAKER_03 45:43

Great philosophy. Well, before I let you go here, is there a story from your upbringing, from your trade, something funny, something scary? Maybe you screwed something up one time. Is there a story that sticks with you from your years in the trade?

SPEAKER_02 45:58

Yes, there's a couple. Um sometimes the way you see a weld going down does not mean that's how it's going to show up at the end. And if you fail a weld test, it's not the end of the day. You can always go back and just redo it. Uh a couple years ago, I was working on a breaker up in Fort McMurray and I had to re-weld a piece, and I do not take in consideration the erosion of steel. And I'm working with a partner and he's on the other end. And I ask him, like, hey, what are the settings that you're working at for Lux for? And I'm working on the other end of this equipment with the same settings and I push my trigger, and the second I do that and the arc starts, I blow a hole.

SPEAKER_03 46:50

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 46:51

And it's because he's working on material that's half inch thick. I'm working on material that was eroded down to about one eighth thick. And sure enough, the second that happened and I lifted up my hood, quality control walks by. Oh, you didn't even get a chance to spot it in and no, no, they were there that moment. And I remember I just my stomach sank and I had a level of shame. They just laughed at me. That's it. Just all right, now let's fix it. Um, sometimes don't take yourself too seriously, right? I've learned to laugh at myself more and more over the years, and I find that you get a lot more joy out of your day if you can do that.

SPEAKER_03 47:36

Absolutely. I believe that, you know, mistakes aren't really mistakes if you can fix them. You know, like I just recently I built a piece of ducting and it was wrong the first time and I had to fix it, and it was wrong the second time, and I had to fix it. And like, you don't, you don't, I don't get upset anymore. I'm mad at myself for making those stupid mistakes. But like you just you just get on with your life. You're not throwing hammers, you're not swearing, just like just get it done, get it done right, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 48:07

Mm-hmm. And that's that's the take that you have to have, right? Because we're gonna make mistakes often. Doesn't matter if you're in the the industry for 15, 20, 30 years, you're gonna make mistakes.

SPEAKER_03 48:21

Yeah. Well, thank you very much, Kayla. You've been a great guest, and I wish you the best in the future. So thank you for joining me today.

SPEAKER_02 48:30

Thank you very much for having me, Kevin. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 48:33

So stay tuned. We got episodes dropping weekly. This has been the Canadian Welding Bureau Association Welding Podcast. Thanks for listening.

SPEAKER_00 48:54

You've been listening to the CWB Association Welding Podcast. If you enjoyed what you heard today, rate our podcast and visit us at cwbassociation.org to learn more. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions on what you'd like to learn about in the future. Please subscribe and thank you for listening.