For women entering traditionally male-dominated skilled trades, mastering the tools is only part of the challenge. Convincing employers they belong in the industry can be another.
On Oct. 8, Tulsa Welding School’s Metro Atlanta campus in Decatur partnered with Dress for Success Georgia to help female students prepare for the workforce through professional clothing, interview preparation and career development resources. The event brought a mobile clothing unit to campus, giving women training in welding, electrical work and heating, ventilation and air conditioning, an opportunity to prepare for their next career move.
Tamekia Morris, president of Tulsa Welding School’s Metro Atlanta campus, explained that while students receive hands-on technical training, presenting those skills to prospective employers requires a different kind of preparation.
“When they’re sitting in front of an employer, that’s a whole different story,” Morris said. “Being able to feel confident about what they’re now marketing, right? Like they’re trying to market themselves to employers.”
The partnership began when the school’s director of career services contacted Dress for Success Georgia about supporting women pursuing careers in the trades. The nonprofit provided professional attire at no cost to participating students, helping address a resource Morris explained many students otherwise lack.
The event also highlighted the barriers women continue to face when entering industries historically dominated by men.
“Immediately I think we’ll be looked at as if we can’t do it because, again, for so long it’s been an industry that women [weren’t] a part of,” Morris said.
She recalled one student who had previously been turned down for jobs because of her appearance. According to Morris, the student expressed gratitude for receiving professional clothing she had never previously been able to access.
Beyond the clothing, the event provided an opportunity for students to connect with potential employers. A female recruiter was also on campus, offering students a visible example of women working within the industry.
Morris described watching students encourage one another throughout the event, which also incorporated pink clothing in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“They felt confident. They felt loved. They felt seen,” Morris said.
The initiative comes amid increasing female enrollment in skilled trades programs. According to StrataTech Education Group, Tulsa Welding School’s parent organization, female enrollment across its campuses increased 19.2 percent from 2024 to 2025.
Women accounted for 16% of students at the Metro Atlanta campus when it launched, a figure Morris reported had recently increased to 19 percent.
She attributed the growth partly to greater visibility of women in skilled trades, including through social media and female leadership.
“I think young ladies, when they see us, they’re like, ‘Hey, if she can do it, why can’t I do it?'” Morris said.
Preparing students for employment remains a priority beyond the event. Morris explained that the school’s career services department coordinates employer interviews, recruiting visits and welding tests before graduation.
The school’s broader employment goal is to have at least 90 percent of graduates working in their fields of study. Morris explained that the Metro Atlanta campus recently graduated its first students and is working toward the same standard, though she did not provide a campus-specific employment rate.
For Morris, the goal extends beyond helping graduates secure their first jobs. She emphasized the potential for careers in skilled trades to provide financial stability, professional growth and opportunities for their families.
The Oct. 8 event will not be the partnership’s last. Morris confirmed that Dress for Success Georgia plans to return to campus quarterly with its mobile unit to continue providing students with professional clothing and guidance on interviewing and workplace expectations.
The ongoing collaboration reflects Morris’ hope that students will recognize the support available as they pursue careers in industries where women remain underrepresented.
“I hope that they took away that they’re not in this alone,” Morris said. “That there are people rooting for them, not just us here at the college, but there are organizations that will help support their dreams.”
For the women preparing to enter the trades, that support offers something beyond a professional wardrobe: the opportunity to walk into their next interview prepared to demonstrate the skills they have already worked to develop.
