At 34 years old, Dana Massey, a single mother of two, found herself at a crossroads. She had experienced several failed career attempts and wanted a better life for herself and her daughters.
“Life can take different directions for everyone,” Massey explained. “Much like directions for putting together a swing set, all it takes is staying focused and putting nut A onto nut B. Before you know it you are swinging and sliding. Sometimes there are no directions, or you may even be missing the whole bag of hardware to put your swing set together. Unfortunately for me I fell into the latter group. I was missing the whole bag of hardware and did not know where to turn.”
Massey turned WorkLink Workforce Investment Board and ArcLabs Welding School. As a part-time night shift shuttle bus driver at a nuclear power plant, she discovered the high demand for welders and the good wages she could earn. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998, administered by WorkLink, provided funding for her training. She chose the eight-week program at ArcLabs to reach her goals faster, since she did not have the two-years time required for a technical college degree.
“I found ArcLabs Welding School to be a warm and encouraging environment where I was able to gain confidence in myself,” she said. “The instructors were more than just teachers, they were people who believed in me, and helped me believe in myself at a time when I was more unsure than ever. Pursuing a career in a male dominated trade seemed unattainable at times. They never let me give in to those intimidations.”
Massey finished the Core Curriculum in six weeks, received her NCCER certification, and attained her SMAW 6g certification on pipe and GTAW/SMAW 6g on pipe. With these qualifications, she found employment as a pipe welder for DZ Atlantic. She is one of five women welders at the same nuclear power station where she once drove a bus.