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Kristy Waalderbos
Welder/Welding Inspector
I checked out NSCC before I applied and I felt welcome right away. The instructors and the staff made me feel at home.
Kristy Waalderbos
Kristy Waalderbos is committed to showing women the possibilities that exist in non-traditional trades.
"Cosmetology is upstairs." That was the unexpected greeting Kristy received when she entered her Welding classroom for the first time. The words lit a fire inside Kristy. "I remember thinking: 'I'll prove you wrong in a few days.' I knew what I was there for and no one could turn me back."
Kristy had been practicing her welding at home on the family's dairy farm for years. She first learned about welding in a 4-H program and her father encouraged her interest by coaching her on technique. "I loved it right away," she says. "I've always enjoyed working with my hands."
Kristy decided to pursue a career in welding rather than apply to university as her sisters had done before her. "I checked out NSCC before I applied and I felt welcome right away. The instructors and the staff made me feel at home." Kristy graduated high school with the Garfield Weston National Scholarship, an award that recognizes outstanding college-bound students. The scholarship covered her tuition and her summer work experience in the Netherlands.
Two years later, Kristy graduated from NSCC at the top of her class and was chosen valedictorian for Pictou Campus.
Welding diploma in hand, Kristy launched right into a related NSCC program – Welding Inspection & Quality Control. "It gives me a double-trade in a sense," says the 21-year-old. "It can be very attractive to companies who may need both a welder and a welding inspector."
When she wasn't studying this past year, Kristy travelled to high schools around the province talking to girls. "More women are becoming involved in the trades and it's up to us to get the word out there," she says. "These girls need to hear our experiences and our success stories."
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