Central Lakes College’s First Female Welding Instructor Looking to Inspire Women

Central Lakes College in Brainerd now has its first ever female Welding and Fabrication instructor.

Kelsey Saba says her mission is to be a positive role model for women in a traditionally male-dominated field.

“I’m super proud of what I’ve accomplished over the past years,” she stated. “Becoming the first [female] Welding instructor, I’m helping pave the way for other women looking to find welding as a viable career. It’s about breaking down stereotypes and reshaping expectations on what a welder should look like.”

The CLC alum also hopes to build meaningful connections with students and inspire and train the next generation of welders. These are goals she picked up from her former welding teacher at the college, Dave Otto.

“If you can build a trust with that student, that, A, you know what you’re talking about,” said Otto, who is the program’s head instructor. “Two, you care for them as a person. They’re struggling with a car and they can’t get here, or [need] financial help … you actually learn about that person, they’re going to want to learn from you.”

With 90% of class being spent in the Welding lab, Saba will have plenty of opportunities to open CLC students’ minds to the many ways they can harness heat and steel to create something unstoppable.

“If more women knew that we’re just as capable as men and we often can bring other strengths to the table, it might bring other women out of their comfort zones to try something new,” Saba said. “That’s exactly what happened to me.”

The Welding department’s goal is to turn students into masters of welding, cutting, metallurgy, and fabrication. But Saba knows prepping the next generation to build the infrastructure of tomorrow and ensure the safety of today’s projects requires more than just heat, metal, and precision.

“Welding’s such an art, also a science, too,” she added. “Problem solving skills, the ability to adapt—there’s never two projects that are exactly the same. Those traits are what would make a good welder and great welder.”

Seven of CLC’s 42 Welding and Fabrication students this year. According to Otto, that’s the most women the program has ever had.