Meet three women who have
embarked on careers in the steel
industry. This program profiles
Stephanie Sebastian, a production
worker at a fast-paced galvanizing
mill; Jennifer Zahra, a quality
control inspector involved with
steel tubing for automotive uses;
and Christine Guérin, a research
technician focusing on the chemical
components of super-strong steel. View a preview
video clip and read below for descriptions of each segment, or scroll to the
bottom to order!
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For production worker Stephanie
Sebastian, working in a steel mill is a
family affair. She's a third generation of
steel workers. Stephanie went to college
after high school, but was lured into the
steel business by the great money,
benefits and positive work environment.
Stephanie works in a galvanizing mill. Galvanizing steel protects it from rusting.
The molten galvanizing material almost looks cold to touch, but would melt
your fingers in a second. Stephanie handles the material carefully and wears
heavy-duty protective equipment to ward off potential splashes.
While Stephanie really enjoys her job, she likes
not having to think about it when the workday's
over. “You can't find a better career in another
industry. It's fast paced, the opportunity for
advancement is great and financial gains cannot
be compared with any other sector.”
As a production worker, Stephanie performs
different tasks depending on where she's working in the mill. She can be in quality
control, shipping and handling or operating a machine called a welder. This tool
welds the beginning of a new coil of steel to the end of the one already on the
production line in order to create one continuous strip of metal. The steel
moves along the production line and goes through several furnaces and a zinc
bath to become galvanized. The final product can then be used in the
automotive and construction industry.
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These days, many auto manufacturers are
using steel tubing in many structural parts
of a vehicle. Ensuring that the steel quality
is within specification is the job of quality
control inspector Jennifer Zahra.
Not only will Jennifer chase a problem pipe
down the line to be certain it's been
marked as defective, she also tests the tube to determine exactly what the
problem is. From there, the appropriate production related adjustments are
made.
Jennifer is on the leading edge of a new generation
of steel workers. Automation has reduced the
number of people it takes to produce steel while
technology has increased the knowledge-base
needed for the job. However, the human eye is still
required to check quality on a regular basis.
“The people I work with [are] probably the best
part of my job. Another attractive aspect about the
steel industry is great benefits and great salary and this, of course, translates
into a great lifestyle.”
In order to work in a steel mill, you need to enjoy working in a team and be
willing to learn. You have to have excellent communication skills in order to
communicate to your team properly. Flexibility, versatility and an open mind
also help.
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It didn't take long for Christine Guérin to
find work after she graduated. Her diploma
in analytical chemistry was still hot off the
press when she was hired by a steel
manufacturer as a steel research
technician.
Christine's job is to improve steel quality
and investigate any defect issues that occur. It's an ideal venue to satisfy her natural curiosity about the mysteries of science.
To be a success in any business, you have to be resourceful and develop
effective work habits. There seems to be a lot of opportunity for success in the
Steel industry. Many of Christine's classmates
found work while they were still in training.
There are now nearly three thousand different
chemical components to steel and that don’t
include the ones created for special usage by
researchers like Christine. For example, the
new, super-strong steel, means that you can
build an identical structure using 35 percent less
steel than thirty years ago.
Click the image to the left
for a preview video clip!
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Developed in 2006 in Canada, the Career Options for Women series is an
outstanding resource for schools wanting to attract women and girls to Science,
Technology and Trades!
Please Note: These videos are an excellent depiction of women in these jobs
and are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are
similar to the numbers in the United States. As there is a no-return policy on
these publications, please make sure to look at the preview video clip for the
DVD(s) you are ordering.
Pricing - Career Options for Women: Emerging Technologies DVDs
