Caroline Del Giudice, a metal fabricator and artist, joins Still Building America to talk about building a career in welding and creating opportunity in metal fabrication.

As manager of the art and product realization program at Newlab in Detroit, she works inside a 30,000-square-foot fabrication shop supporting startups in robotics, mobility, and advanced manufacturing, blending hands-on welding with modern tools like CNC and robotics.

Caroline shares her path into the trades, how she built experience across different fabrication environments, and how welding can open doors to both creative and entrepreneurial work.

In this episode:

• How to get started in welding without a traditional background
• Turning fabrication skills into career opportunities
• Working at the intersection of startups and manufacturing
• Why welding is still one of the most versatile skills in the trades

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network.

Jesse Oosterhouse is a welding instructor at the Muskegon Correctional Facility in Michigan, where he teaches incarcerated men skills that can lead to stable careers after release.

In this episode, Jesse shares how his class of 30 incarcerated students designed and built Arc of Redemption, a welded sculpture entered into the Grand Rapids-based ArtPrize. The project highlights how welding education, American Welding Society certifications, and creative work can open doors to opportunity and second chances.

Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

Becca Robertson, a welding instructor at St. Clair TEC in Michigan, shares her journey into teaching. She started welding at age 2 from her father, a welder himself, and has now passed on that passion to her own daughter who also began welding at age 2.

Becca's program at St. Clair TEC is known for producing talented high school welders, with her students excelling in state and national welding competitions like SkillsUSA. She talks with Darla and Josh Welton about her belief in letting students explore welding at their own pace and discover their natural strengths, rather than sticking to a rigid curriculum. Becca also talk about how she finds great fulfillment in watching her students develop a love for welding and exceed her own expectations.

Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.