The Maker Mom

Helping parents raise STEM-loving, Maker-friendly kids

  • Home
  • About
  • Work With Us
  • When Geeks Grow Up
  • Gifted Kids
  • Videos
  • #STEMchat
  • STEM
  • Travel
  • Chicago
  • Maker Projects
  • Gifted Ed
  • Product Reviews

Meet Erica Heckman, Welder: It’s STEM Girl Friday!

August 7, 2015 By Kim
Tagged With: STEM at work, STEM Girl Friday, STEM Girls

Meet welder Erica Heckman on STEM Girl Friday at www.TheMakerMom.com.I typically conduct STEM Girl Friday interviews via email, but I was fortunate to meet today’s STEM Girl, welder(!) Erica Heckman, when I was in Louisville with SkillsUSA and Alcoa Foundation. Erica is one half of the Manufacturing Team Challenge (MTC) team who will represent the United States at the upcoming WorldSkills competition. This is the final post in a series sponsored by the foundation.

Hailing from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Erica is a recent graduate of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Knoxville.

She’s only five feet, two inches tall.  And she seems rather soft spoken at first. But I only had to listen to her for a minute to know that she’s strong inside and out. One doesn’t meet many female welders. My generation may recall the lead character from Flashdance, who was described in the trailer as a “woman in a man’s world.” Apparently, not much has changed in the last 32 years.

Thankfully, gender stereotypes didn’t stop Erica’s high school teacher from recommending her for a welding course. Still, there were only three girls in her class of 25. She began as a freshman and her passion and talent for welding have taken her far. In fact, as I noted, she’s headed to São Paulo, Brazil for next week’s WorldSkills competition. Interestingly, Erica is just one of several #TeamUSAWorldSkills members who fondly recall a teacher who nudged them in their current direction, opening a wide door to their future.

MTC team preparing for WorldSkills 2015

Erica and Daniel training for the Manufacturing Team Challenge.

Welding is the joining of two or more metal parts by melting them together. Metals are brought to molten state and flow together. This is hot stuff; the melting point of steel is 2,500 degrees. “Welding is all around us,” Erica told me. “Tables, chairs, cars and bridges contain welded parts.”

Erica enjoys that welding is hands-on and even a bit unusual for someone like her. She doesn’t mind being the only woman in the room. It can be tough at times, though. “Welding is male-dominated. Many of today’s welders are men in their 50s. They’re not used to working with women.”

This is usually not a problem, but sometimes it is. She related a story in which a male co-worker said he was waiting for her to quit. But Erica thrives on challenge. She took pride in continuing to show up. “I’m still here,” she’d remind him.

Erica appreciates how much she’s furthered her skills due to her involvement in SkillsUSA. In fact, she’s earned medals and a scholarship from the organization. But like her teammate, Daniel Dossett, she views the WorldSkills competition not as an end, but as a key step to a rewarding career, an amazing chance to learn more, work hard and build even more skills.

SkillsUSA Manufacturing Team Challenge World Team.

Along those lines, she’s currently studying to become a certified welding inspector, and she hopes to be a nuclear pipe welder or work on an oil rig. She has ambitious financial goals that she hopes to meet while she is young. She’s confident that she can reach them through her career as a welder. “I can make the future better and I can make something out of my future.”

Her advice to other girls pursuing careers in male-dominated fields: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not capable of doing something.”

Erica is honored to be one of only 18 students representing our country at the 2015 WorldSkills competition. The international competition, featuring students from 74 countries, will take place August 11-16. Alcoa Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the U.S. WorldTeam. Follow their progress on social media via #TeamUSAWorldSkills.

STEMchat 3 gears

About Kim

Kim headshot Summer 2012 I’m a Chicago-area mom / empty-nester who is passionate about sharing ideas and resources to raise kids who love Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). I’m a published author, blogger, vlogger, baker and maker. I love to travel, especially on trips that involve hiking and other active endeavors, farm tours, and learning new things in general.[Read More...]

"

"

" "

Ads and Affiliates

Archives

BLOG TOPICS

#STEMchat (42) book review (12) books (35) Chicago (44) coding (27) coding for kids (5) college (4) computer programming (16) computers (6) contests for kids (8) DIY (44) engineering (12) family fun (92) geek camp (14) gifted education (18) gifted kids (6) giveaway (4) guest post (7) how to (20) kit (8) maker projects (30) makerspace (15) math (14) nanotech (4) parenting gifted kids (9) product review (42) projects (63) recipe (5) robotics (10) robots (25) science (13) special STEM day or week (37) sponsored (16) STEAM (16) STEM (97) STEM at work (6) STEM camp (9) STEM competitions (8) STEM gifts (6) STEM Girl Friday (31) STEM Girls (78) technology (27) travel (6) video (13) Women in STEM (6)

Copyright © 2022 THE MAKER MOM, SITE DESIGNED BY RK RESPONSIVE DESIGN