From pre-apprenticeship training to a leadership role in manufacturing, Kay Sims shows how creativity and hands-on skills can lead to rewarding careers in the trades.

Kay Sims has always loved making things. Whether sewing clothes, creating sculptures, or working on projects around the house, she enjoys using her hands and seeing her ideas take shape.

Today, she brings that same creativity to an entirely different material: steel.

As a welder at Gunderson in Portland, Oregon, Kay helps build the massive barges and railcars that transport goods around the world.

“I guess welding is like sewing with fire,” she explains, comparing the process of joining metal to stitching pieces of fabric together.

Finding a Path into the Trades

Kay began her journey through Oregon Tradeswomen’s seven-week trades and apprenticeship career class, which helps women explore construction careers and recognize the transferable skills they already possess.

After completing the program, she attended community college to learn welding, eventually beginning her career at Gunderson.

Her growth didn’t stop there. Gunderson offered additional training in blueprint reading, welding inspection, and supervision, and supported her pursuit of a certified welding inspector credential.

Over time, Kay became a respected leader and trainer, helping new welders develop their own skills.

Her supervisor describes her growth as exceptional, praising both her technical abilities and her talent for teaching others.

For Kay, the work is satisfying because it combines creativity, problem-solving, and the tangible results of building something with her hands.

She also wants other women to recognize that careers in manufacturing and construction are open to people with many different backgrounds and experiences.

Her story challenges the misconception that manufacturing work is repetitive or requires little skill. Welding demands precision, technical knowledge, and the ability to solve problems as they arise.

From sewing fabric to joining steel, Kay has found a career that allows her to keep creating while continuing to learn and grow.

Her experience demonstrates how pre-apprenticeship programs, education, and employer-supported training can help people discover career paths they may never have imagined for themselves.

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