Welding students Tiffani Seitz of Chinook, Janine Kemmer of Chinnok, and Heidi Williams of Kalama (not pictured) are the first graduates of the Women in Welding Program at Clatsop Community College. Seitz, left, and Kemmer, middle, are pictured here with Pete Hacket of Bradwood Landing at CCC's MERTS campus in the Industrial Manufacturing Technology Center. Contributed photo

ASTORIA – On Friday, June 12, CCC welding students Tiffani Seitz and Janine Kemmer, both of Chinook, and Heidi Williams of Kalama crossed the Liberty Theatre stage to receive their Associate of Applied Science Welding degrees.

Seitz is the mother of four children. She began the welding program incited by her enjoyment of welding in high school. As for her future plans after graduation, she says, “I did my work-study at J.E. McAmis building a house for a barge. I would like to continue in that line of work.”

Kemmer notes, “I have always wanted to learn to weld and the scholarship was a great opportunity for me.” Kemmer did her work-apprenticeship at J & H Boatworks where she was hired part-time. “Completing this program has been such a positive experience and I am very grateful to be here.” Kemmer plans to pursue work as a welder fabricator after graduation and assist her brother in repairing the equipment he uses as a Willapa Bay oyster grower.

Looking for a change in career prompted Williams, a married mother of an 11-month-old daughter, to begin the welding program at CCC. Having been laid off from her previous welding job in November, Williams continues to look for a new job with the hopes of a maritime-focused welding position. The Women in Welding program got its start in April 2006 at an open house co-sponsored by the college, Worksource Northwest Oregon and Bradwood Landing.

“Bradwood Landing is very pleased to sponsor the scholarships for ‘non-traditional employment’ for women, with Women in Welding. I am a long time supporter of women in the trades and apprenticeship. Bradwood’s financial support brings great opportunity to women who can work in industry or work on the construction of Bradwood Landing. We are expanding opportunities by partnering with Clatsop Community College and using their great training resource, the MERTS campus,” says Pete Hackett, local representative for the Northern Star Natural Gas Bradwood project.

If you are interested in the welding program at CCC, contact Harley Bristol at 503-338-7680 or visit www.clatsopcc.edu for information about how you can get started at Clatsop Community College.