Kyle Tripp
Ironworkers Local 25
Detroit, MI USA
"It’s very, very gratifying to see a whole skyscraper or a whole bridge after you’re done with it. You can drive by it for the rest of your life and say, ‘I built that.’"
Career Roadmap
Kyle's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
We've been told that we need to go to college to succeed. I don't agree. College wasn't for me and I spent ten years growing frustrated trying to find a career that fit because no one was really advocating for trade and vocational routes. We need people in trades or our infrastructure will collapse. And we need people advocating for trades and showing young people what the different options are. We can't love something if we don't try it, but we can't try it if we don't know that it's an option.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Vocational
Intensive Welding Training Program
Women Who Weld
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I grew up in the country in Connecticut, so I’ve always loved getting dirty and working with my hands.
2.
After high school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do for a career, so I moved to Michigan and decided to just join the workforce and try some things.
3.
I’ve worked at a variety of jobs, including concert venues, gyms, and the zoo, but hadn’t found something that really stuck with me.
4.
I heard about Women Who Weld and decided to participate in their one-day workshop—I liked it but didn’t pursue anything further immediately afterwards.
5.
About a year and a half later, I found an old email from Women Who Weld and applied to their six week intensive welding program.
6.
While in the Women Who Weld program, I learned about the different trades that use welding and felt drawn to the thrill of becoming an ironworker.
7.
I applied to the Ironworkers trade union, got in, and am currently in the process of completing my apprenticeship.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
You need to go to college.
How I responded:
We've been told that we need to go to college to succeed. I don't agree. College wasn't for me and I spent ten years growing frustrated trying to find a career that fit because no one was really advocating for trade and vocational routes. We need people in trades or our infrastructure will collapse. And we need people advocating for trades and showing young people what the different options are. We can't love something if we don't try it, but we can't try it if we don't know that it's an option.