Ep. 059
Developing careers in welding and a sisterhood with Desirée Guzmán
Published: 07/02/2024 Running Time: 66:34
Desirée Guzmán, a welding instructor with Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), joins us to talk about her full-circle career as welder.
She talks about how she was inspired by a metal artist she met during a trip to Puerto Rico to start her own jewelry-making business. She also explains how that piqued her interest in learning how to weld.
Desirée discusses how after enrolling in CWIT's welding program, it led to her working at number of Chicago-area fab shops. The after a few years of working in industry, her career came full circle when she accepted an open welding instructor position at CWIT.
She also talks about the mission behind CWIT and its work to not only get more women to work in the trades, but empowering them with confidence and a community.
At the top, we call back to a conversation in an episode with Michael Bennett about a toy plastic welder. We compare and contrast Mattel's Spin Welder and Mindware's Spin-Gineer.
Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.
In This Episode
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TRANSCRIPT
Sara Spring: The Fabricator Podcast is a production of Fabricators and Manufacturers Association located in Elgin Illinois. The show is hosted by Dan Davis and the staff of FMA Communications. The podcast is produced by Gareth Sleger and recorded and edited by Griffin Hammond and Dana Wiker, sales support provided by Andy Flando. Additional production support by Elizabeth Gavin, Mike Owens, Billy Kulpa, Pat Simon, Brandon Geier, and me, Sara Spring. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org. Thank you for listening.
ABOUT THE FABRICATOR PODCAST
The Fabricator Podcast brings you conversations with people in manufacturing who make things out of metal. We speak with manufacturers, metal fabricators, welders, job shop owners, small business entrepreneurs, artists, marketers, educators, and more. Host Dan Davis also goes beyond discussing just manufacturing and the skilled trades, and chats about pop culture, current events, food, music, movies, comedy, and, of course, robots. The Fabricator Podcast is presented by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association.
We shape the conversation around metal.
Host: Dan Davis
Producer/Editor: Gareth Sleger
Video Producer/Editor: Griffin Hammond/Dana Wiker
Ad writer/spokesperson/social media: Sara Spring
Graphics: Billy Kulpa
Marketing support: Elizabeth Gavin, Pat Simon
Sales support: Andy Flando
Web support: Mike Owens, Jared Carlow
Additional support: Ed Youdell, Maurine Semevolos, Lincoln Brunner, Tim Heston, Rafael Guerrero, Josh Welton, Darla Welton, Amanda Carlson-Hicks, Brandon Geier, Rick Lehnhardt, Judy Steinbach.
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Where to Listen
About This Podcast
We Shape the Conversation Around Metal
The Fabricator Podcast brings you conversations with people who make things out of metal. We speak with manufacturing leaders, metal fabricators, welders, job shop owners, small business entrepreneurs, artists, marketers, educators, and more.
Host Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief of The Fabricator, and a rotating co-hosts also go beyond discussing just manufacturing and the skilled trades, and chats about pop culture, current events, food, music, movies, comedy, and, of course, robots.
Episodes drop on Tuesdays. The Fabricator Podcast is presented by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and part of the FMA Podcast Network. 
