On Oct. 8, the Tulsa Welding School Metro Atlanta campus in Decatur hosted a collaborative event with Dress for Success Georgia aimed at preparing female students for careers in skilled trades. The nonprofit brought a mobile clothing unit to campus, offering professional attire at no cost, while the school provided hands‑on training in welding, electrical work and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).
Building confidence for the interview room
Tamekia Morris, president of the Decatur campus, explained that technical expertise alone is not enough; students must also feel confident presenting themselves to potential employers. “When they’re sitting in front of an employer, that’s a whole different story,” Morris said. “Being able to feel confident about what they’re now marketing, right? Like they’re trying to market themselves to employers.”
Addressing a resource gap
The partnership began when the school’s director of career services reached out to Dress for Success Georgia to support women pursuing trades. Many students lack access to professional clothing, a barrier that can affect first‑impression interviews. The nonprofit’s mobile unit supplied suits, shirts and shoes, allowing participants to dress appropriately for job interviews and networking events.
Real‑world impact
During the event, a female recruiter from the industry visited campus, giving students a visible example of women succeeding in traditionally male‑dominated fields. Morris recalled a student who had previously been turned down for a position because of her appearance; the new wardrobe helped her feel ready to re‑apply.
Students also encouraged one another throughout the day, creating a supportive atmosphere that included pink clothing in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “They felt confident. They felt loved. They felt seen,” Morris observed.
Growing female enrollment
Female enrollment at Tulsa Welding School’s campuses rose 19.2 percent from 2024 to 2025, according to StrataTech Education Group, the school’s parent organization. At the Decatur campus, women comprised 16 percent of students when the campus opened and have recently increased to 19 percent, a growth Morris attributes to greater visibility of women in trades through social media and female leadership.
“I think young ladies, when they see us, they’re like, ‘Hey, if she can do it, why can’t I?’” she said.
Career services focus
Beyond the clothing giveaway, the school’s career services department continues to coordinate employer interviews, recruiting visits and welding certification tests before graduation. The campus aims to have at least 90 percent of its graduates employed in their field of study, a standard the Metro Atlanta campus is working toward as its first class of graduates enters the workforce.
Ongoing support
The partnership will not end with a single event. Dress for Success Georgia plans to return quarterly with its mobile unit, providing ongoing access to professional attire and interview coaching. Morris hopes the continued collaboration reinforces that students are not alone in their pursuit of skilled‑trade careers.
“I hope that they took away that they’re not in this alone,” she said. “That there are people rooting for them, not just us here at the college, but there are organizations that will help support their dreams.”
Original reporting: SaportaReport — read the source article.
