Midland company aims to give opportunity to women welders

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) -One company in Midland is opening the door for women to work in a field dominated by men.

Women welders in West Texas may not have the same opportunity as men do to work in the Permian Basin.

Caitlyn Edge is the president of Edge Industries and said hiring women for jobs that are predominantly taken up by men, opens the doors for the women’s workforce to grow in West Texas.

Edge Industries makes products like tanks and pressure vessels for oilfields.

Because of the heavy workload, not many women get into it or even get the opportunity to work in this industry.

“Twenty years ago, women weren’t really involved in this. Even now in the bigger oil companies, I’m seeing a lot more women engineers, and women field people. You know I take joy in seeing that women are finding joy in this industry to like I do.” said Caitlyn Edge, President of Edge Industries.

However, since Edge Industry opened in 2018, they’ve given women the chance that other places may not.

One of the welders said that people are surprised when she mentions her job title.

“Anybody older, or anybody that works in an oilfield job, etc, they act surprised. They’re like really you?” said Pipe Welder, Cristina Presas.

Edge Industries currently employs two women as welders. They said they’re ready for anything that comes their way.

“Well, right now I say no. Now it is not a job only for men, or only for women. We are now in a time where a man can work in a woman’s job, and a woman can work in a man’s job. There is already a lot of equality.” said Welder at Edge Industries, Diana Ulate.

" Every day is a challenge against myself. For the same reason because we are few women. We have to show that women can do it too. And when I’m finishing and I turn around and look at my tank, you feel like “oh I finished it, how cool.” said Ulate.

Caitlyn Edge said though they are able to hire more women now, it wasn’t always that easy. One of the difficulties they faced was having to work through the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

With the help of her family and loyal customers its led them to continue to serve businesses in the Permian Basin.

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