First Women in Welding Day hosted at Northern College's Kirkland Lake Campus

**NORTHERN COLLEGE NEWS RELEASE**

Northern College is pleased to announce the success of its first Women in Welding day hosted by the school of Welding Engineering and Technology at our Kirkland Lake Campus.

Staff and faculty welcomed 30 female students from surrounding high schools for an in depth tour, along with demonstrations and information sessions designed to promote the trade to those already showing an interest in the field.

“It’s extremely important, this exposes a lot of high school students that don’t even get to see shop classes anymore,” said Welder Fitter professor Tyy Dearden. “So to bring in young students and to open their eyes to what is out there, what is available to them, to expose them, we bring them in here and then they get to see a little bit of everything and understand that in welding, there is more than arcs and sparks.”

Northern College’s Welding Engineering and Technology program is recognized by the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists and is an authorized training body for the International Institute of Welding. Certification as an International Welding Technologist through the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) provides technology graduates with job opportunities in 38 IIW member countries, making Northern College an easy choice for second year Welding Engineer student Megan Reppard.

“This program is a university level course at the college,” said Reppard. “So you’re learning, in first year stuff that second year metallurgy students of the university were learning, so it’s quite advanced and it’s very compressed.”

High schools like Temiskaming District Secondary Schools are eager to take advantage of the suite of equipment and the decades of knowledge and expertise found in the College’s school of Welding Engineering and Technology.

“We want to expose the girls to the trade and expose them to what the possibilities are outside of high school,” said Chris Code Temiskaming District Secondary School welding teacher. “I think it’s paramount, they have to actually be able to see it, touch it, feel it, to be exposed to it to see the value and there is so much opportunity, there’s so much more out there than just being a welder.”

With numerous employment options available to graduates of the program, from inspection to international certification, Northern College has piqued the interest of some students as not only a viable option for their post-secondary education, but the only option.

“I’ve always wanted to be a welder and I’ve always wanted to go to Northern College,” said grade eleven Kirkland Lake Composite School student Keaira Post. “It’s a really good program and I like to do hands on stuff and my mom came here too, and I want to stay home because I won’t have to travel a whole bunch.”

Northern College is dedicated to providing clear pathways for students to explore their education options, and proudly support and encourage the interest of local high schools and their students.

“Days like these are what Northern College’s mission and vision is all about,” stated Dr. Audrey Penner Vice President of Academic and Student Success. “We provide access and innovative programming to assure learning for all.”