Lillian Ninness Breaks Barriers as Female Welder

Welding is often considered a man’s trade, but Lillian Ninness is here to change that. The 2023 Huntingdon High School graduate is one of two women in her welding class at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology-McKenzie (TCAT), but she won’t let that stop her from chasing her passion.

Lillian Ninness, the daughter of William and Kristen Ninness, is what you could call a legacy welder. Her dad and uncle, Alan Ninness, both graduated from TCAT-McKenzie’s welding program. Sometimes she would go to work with her dad at McKenzie Valve and Machining and watch him weld. Her great-grandfather was also a welder and blacksmith.

Lillian decided she wanted to weld her junior year of high school. She said she was inspired because, as a woman, she wanted to do better than her dad and uncle.

She was nervous going into her first welding class. It was the first semester of her senior year of high school, and she knew she would be one of the only girls around. “Then I got there, and I realized it’s drama-free because there’s not many girls,” she joked.

While she initially joined welding because of her family history, she said she quickly began to love it, especially how hands-on it is. “I just like doing a bead and then taking the side off of it and looking at what I just did by myself without anybody else helping me or telling me what to do,” she said.

Lillian is projected to graduate from TCAT’s welding program this December, and she said she would like to work locally before looking into travel jobs.

It takes resources and materials to stay safe while welding. Even while wearing a flame-resistant jacket, a welding helmet, welding gloves and safety glasses, small mistakes can result in burns.

“I’ve caught myself on fire a couple of times at TCAT,” said Lillian. “It just happens.”

Even though it is a dangerous job, Lillian said she thinks the fact that it is so male-centric is what keeps women from trying it out. So what could help narrow the gap between male and female welders? “Hearing of other women doing it,” said Lillian, “and knowing that it’s not really that difficult. You just have to do it.”

Lillian said she let one of her nieces wear her welding helmet once, and she looked like she loved it. Exposure to the job is one way to show that anyone can do it.

With burn scars on her arms and a helmet in her hands, Lillian Ninness is ready to take the welding world by storm — and influence other girls to follow her lead.