Canadian woman finds purpose with a little welding machine

Canada-based welder Missy Phelan found fulfillment in her life the day she bought a welding machine. Since then, she’s been on a journey to learn as much as possible while being an example to other women. Images provided by Missy Phelan

For a while Melissa Phelan didn’t have a plan. The Kingston, Ont., native, who goes by Missy, dropped out of high school, was kicked out of her mother’s house at 16, and really didn’t have much direction or motivation.

Things changed when she bought a little welding machine and taught herself how to weld. She gained confidence. She started envisioning a life that had a purpose. She found the motivation to go back to finish high school, graduate, and then enroll in college.

Welding, in her words, helped her realize that she needed to do something with her life.

Today Phelan has a ton of welding experience under her belt; she’s a Canadian Welding Bureau-certified welding and fabrication technician and robotics technician and programmer; and she’s a brand ambassador for Everlast, a manufacturer of welding and cutting power sources and generators.

The WELDER spoke with Phelan about her journey to welding and what she’s learned along the way.

TW: How did you get started in welding?

MP: I started welding like 12 years ago now. I bought my first car and it turned out it needed a lot of work. I bought a Lincoln MIG welding machine and taught myself how to weld. I enjoyed it so much that it inspired me to go back to school and learn everything about it that I could.

So, at age 25 I went back to school, and I got qualified by the Canadian Welding Bureau as a fabrication welding technician. So now I know more about welding from the academic side of things and I continue to learn more and more every day.

TW: What was it about welding that drew you in?

MP: It was the fact that if you screw up, you can just cut it off and start again. You can't do that with other things, like woodworking. It was addictive because it's so customizable that you can make it the best as you can. I fell in love with it right away.

Today Phelan has a ton of welding experience under her belt, she’s a Canadian Welding Bureau-certified welding and fabrication technician and robotics technician and programmer, and she’s a brand ambassador for Everlast.

When I took the leap and purchased the little $600 welder, it seemed like a good price for what I thought would be a hobby. It quickly became an addiction once I realized how good I was working with my hands. I don't think I could ever have a desk job again.

TW: Tell me about your welding experience.

MP: I’ve worked for a forklift company that made forklift attachments and as an auto body repair technician, which I really enjoyed. I've welded stainless steel piping at a dairy production plant, and I've welded aluminum boats for the Coast Guard, which was tough work. I had to work in really small, confining spaces, which was kind of horrible.

I'm a robotic programmer and robotic technician. I worked with ABB Robotics and Fronius to collaborate weld cells for a certain type of autogenous welding that an automotive company wanted us to do for them. I found robotic programming to be really interesting. I'm kind of a nerd, so I enjoyed it a lot.

I’ve bounced around quite a bit and I’ve found that all of these different experiences have revealed my weaknesses and strengths.

TW: Is it true the welders make the best robotic welding programmers and operators?

MP: Absolutely. It’s hard to explain, but to make it all work it’s very helpful to know why certain things are happening during the process and what could happen if you change certain variables.

If a robotic programmer or operator already knows those types of things from the very beginning, then that’s less training they’ll need. I've met a lot of operators who have been welders. That prior experience allows you to know what's going on a little bit better, diagnose problems sooner, and just keep everything running smoother. There's a lot of background knowledge about welding that you really need to know that helps the whole process make more sense.

TW: Where are you working right now?

MP: Right now I'm back in my hometown of Kingston working for a company called SnapCab, which makes elevator interior paneling and movable workspaces. It's a job that is completely different from anything else I’ve ever done.

Missy Phelan was living life adrift until she purchased a little welding machine. From there she gained confidence and a sense of purpose.

I'm the only welder, and I work with a bunch of carpenters. There's not a whole lot of welding that needs to be done, so I also do maintenance, work on any shop improvements that need to be done, and I help with production. I'm basically the go-to girl at work if anything needs fixing. I really like where I’m at right now. The people that I work with are so great and they have basically become my family.

TW: How did you become a brand ambassador for Everlast?

MP: That just started this year. I purchased one of their welding machines and I absolutely fell in love with it. I thought the performance was on the same level as some more well-known brands available. I was taken aback by how well it performed and how affordable it was. And it’s so easy to use. I just wanted to support them any way that I could because they are a growing company with good-quality products.

TW: What’s the best advice you ever received?

MP: Just stay humble and never stop learning. And as a woman, you have to know your shit. You do have to educate yourself. If I don't know something, I'll research it and I'll figure it out. I’ve learned it’s OK to ask questions. One of the worst things you can do is to go into a job and act like you know everything or be unteachable. I think you become hard to work with if you go into a situation with a know-it-all attitude.

TW: What advice would you share with others?

MP: I would say to never give up, stay humble, and always keep learning. If you do those three things, then you're just going to have fun with whatever you’re doing.

There were times when I wanted to give up and I wanted to call it quits when the work was hot, tough, and hard. But as I got better at welding, I gained a ton of confidence, which just gave me more motivation to keep going. I think that's a lot of what it is, just that hump of getting over the start of it all and realizing what it's actually about.

Missy Phelan can be reached at melissamphelan@hotmail.com