As 17-year old Autumn Mayo prepared for her high school graduation in Sitka, Alaska, she sent Hypertherm Associates an invite to attend. Autumn’s passion for welding began in her high school metal shop. When Hypertherm officials heard the news, they sent her a Powermax45 XP complete with cartridges along with a signed copy of famous metal artist Rae Ripple’s book “When I Grow Up.”
“At Hypertherm, we believe in what Autumn and her teachers are doing. Autumn is a perfect example of the students we’re trying to reach and support through our company’s mission,” said Stephen Bruner, regional marketing & revenue operations director for Hypertherm.
Autumn’s journey into welding began in her high school’s metal shop and welding classes, where she developed her skills under the mentorship of her teacher. Having successfully completed courses in metalwork, engines, arc welding and plasma cutting, Autumn is preparing to further her education at the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Arizona this fall.
Like many students attending trade schools, Autumn will be responsible for supplying her own tools, which can be expensive. In her search for the best equipment, she discovered Hypertherm’s plasma cutting technology.
“When I attend school in Arizona, we have to bring some of our own gear. So, I researched companies that had good supplies and saw Hypertherm. They just stuck out,” said Mayo.
Autumn is a part of the growing number of high school students who are focusing on career and technical education (CTE) programs, a number which Hypertherm is focused on nurturing. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the number of female welders has soared in recent years. Their numbers indicate that between 2016 and 2019 there has been an increase of 30% of women in the welding industry. Even with that increase, in 2020, women welders only made up 3.8% of the welding industry, and today they account for a little over 6% of welders.
“One way we are addressing the labor shortage is by committing to this next generation of the workforce with our Spark Something Great grant. It helps those schools by providing a versatile system instructors can use to teach handheld and mechanized cutting. We wish Autumn nothing but the very best in her next chapter and are happy to be part of her future success,” added Brunner.
