This article is part of Concentrate’s Voices of Youth series, which features stories written by Washtenaw County youth with guidance from Concentrate staff mentors, as well as adult-written stories spotlighting local youth perspective. In this installment, student writer Lillian Gentry interviews local female students and adults about their experiences in skilled trades.
Kaysi Hohner is one of the only girls in the welding program at Saline High School. It is her first experience in welding but she has enjoyed it so much she decided she wants to minor in welding.
Welding and construction are portrayed as being a lot of hard labor. Perhaps that is discouraging women and girls from entering the field, worried they aren’t strong enough or they won’t be given jobs because someone else believes they are not strong enough…