Q’Aliyah Turner is an ambitious young welder working in the Metro Valley region of West Virginia. When she’s not bending hot metal to her will, she is focused on her faith, aspirations of entrepreneurship, and seeing the world.
(Charleston, WV)
How did you decide to become a welder?
I wanted to do a trade and not go to college. I ended up doing welding because it had more artistic possibilities, so I just jumped into it, and I ended up liking it. I got two years of welding experience in high school, and I got a welding job during my second year of school.
What types of welding did you learn?
I learned stick, MIG, TIG, overheard, vertical, and horizontal welding.
Please tell me about your current job.
My current job involves much more than just welding as we have our hands on many things. For example, we do torching, burn tables, stable welding, and more. We sometimes use cranes, and we also weld beams. We deal with a lot of different types of metal.
What advice would you offer another woman who wanted to learn welding?
I say go for it. The one thing I didn’t know when I started was that a welder needs a lot of mental strength. You need that strong mentality because it’s frustrating to work in certain challenging positions.
Welding is a profession where you’re expected to pull your own weight, and there are objective standards for the quality and quantity of output. Your work quality affects everyone around you, and you must be tough enough mentally and physically to do the job in unpleasant conditions, under tight deadlines, and in bad weather—all while maintaining high standards.
There are times when you will be tested, so expect people to poke at you to see how you’ll react. Just maintain a calm, collected mindset and keep learning. Try to stay open to advice. There’s something new to learn every day when you’re involved in a trade.
Also, remember that it gets better, and it’s not always hard. I think women have the right kind of strength for this, so I say they should run into it with the mindset of “I’ve got this.”
What are your long-term goals?
My long-term goals are to continue welding and on the side, I’m going to do Airbnbs. I want to break into that so I can have extra income for travel. Right now, I am really interested in traveling to Texas.
You’re such a driven young person. What inspires and motivates you?
Being able to say “I’ve made it.” I grew up in poverty, and I want to move forward in life without being forced to make choices I might regret. As a woman—as a black woman as well—I want to have my head on straight so I can set myself up well, and that includes my own generation and my own family in the future. Looking to the future, I want to be able to retire. I want to be able to help myself and others.
Tell me about yourself and what makes you happy outside of work.
I like going to church every Sunday, and I do a lot of art. Sometimes I’ll be at work just doodling on something. I also like to read fiction, especially romances and thrillers.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Never give up. Keep your head on straight when it comes to having the drive to make a push toward change in life. It can be hard. Honestly, it can feel like a kick in the butt sometimes, but it’s worth it. Make sure you stay on your path because it always comes out as a blessing.
What do you hope to get out of WV Women Work’s PartnerUp mentoring program?
Everything. I want to take advantage of every opportunity possible. I also want to be able to help other women find this program as well so they can gain what I am gaining.
Interview conducted, transcribed, and written by Marlynda Arnett, Program Innovation Leader for West Virginia Women Work.
