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Walla Walla Community College

To make it possible for more women in the Walla Walla Valley to pursue highly skilled trade careers, AAUW Walla Walla is expanding its popular Scholarship Fund to include women enrolled or intending to enroll in a trade program offered at Walla Walla Community College. 

“Locally and nationally, it is AAUW’s mission to empower women and girls. And we know workforce needs are changing,” said AAUW Walla Walla President Mitzi Jensen. “For students not on the four-year college path, learning a trade is a great opportunity to gain economic self-sufficiency.   And we believe the training at WWCC is both high-quality and affordable.” 

Since 2016, the AAUW-Walla Walla Scholarship Fund has awarded more than $125,000 to women in the Walla Walla Valley. The chapter raises the funds through its local kitchen tours and the annual book sale, this year scheduled for Feb. 21-23 at the Marcus Whitman Hotel.  

Scholarship recipients include women returning to college after an interruption, women who have completed two years of college in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) and, beginning this year, women enrolled or intending to enroll in a WWCC trade program. 

In addition to scholarships, AAUW is partnering with WWCC to host regular luncheons to provide networking and skills-building opportunities for women who are enrolled in the college’s trade programs. The lunches began over the summer and have featured former students, resume-building tips and financial advice. 

“Our long-term goal is to create a strong network for WWCC students and WWCC Women in Trades graduates,” said Tracii Hickman, co-chair of AAUW’s Women in Trades Project. 

Welding Technology represents one of WWCC’s most popular trade programs. Today, 15 to 25% of the students enrolled in WWCC welding programs on the Walla Walla campus are women.  Kristopher Margart, who leads the program, said the number of women interested in the trade is growing at a time when skilled welders are retiring faster than they can be replaced. 

WWCC offers a two-year associate degree in applied sciences in welding technology in addition to a one-year welding technology certificate. Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and must learn skills that comply with standards set by the American Welding Society and Washington Association of Building Officials. 

Recent graduates include Kaitlin Nye, who took her first welding class in high school. She went on to enroll in a four-year college studying bioengineering and math. But she kept gravitating back to welding because she enjoyed it so much and she found she was good at it, too. 

“I like art, and I like working with my hands,” Nye said. “After a year studying abroad, I came back to what I enjoyed the most. I knew WWCC had a great welding program. So, I thought, ‘Why don’t I just apply and see what happens?’.” 

Nye, who grew up in College Place, had worked summers in agriculture and other part-time jobs. After she enrolled at WWCC, she reached out to Key Technology, a Walla Walla company that manufactures stainless steel food processing equipment. 

She was thrilled to secure an internship and paid part-time job. Though it meant she attended classes in the mornings and early afternoons, before heading to work as a welder on Key’s night shift. 

“Yes, I was tired, but Key is very open and encourages their employees’ success,” said Nye, who continued working for the company after graduating in spring 2023.  

About a year ago, Nye landed her dream job at Cascade Natural Gas. 

“Getting to the point where all your hard work pays off — it’s just a good feeling,” Nye said. 

Margart, her former instructor, proudly shares: “Kaitlin welds on live natural gas lines. Those are nursing home furnaces and hospital furnaces. You can’t turn on your heat in this city without taking the work she does for granted. Every time you cross a bridge, walk into a big building, or fill your car with gas, that’s something a welder has done to elevate the quality of life for our society.” 

 Kaitlin Nye returns often to coach WWCC welding students on what it takes to succeed. The AAUW Women in Trades Scholarship will be most welcome, she says, “especially if it allows them to focus solely on their education, without the added stress of working after classes.” 

image of a student in the trades program