SUMMERVILLE, S.C. – After recruiting her for a year and a half, Knight’s Companies finally signed on Esther Jones as its first female welder.
Times are changing, and gender diversity is starting to make headway into blue collar jobs. Jones says she isn’t just a pretty face; she’s a young, talented and hardworking welder who was trained at the Dorchester County Career and Technology Center.
Esther Jones shakes Dustin Blecha’s hand as the newest member of Knight’s welding team.
“There’s a lot for her to learn because she’s young, but what the DCCTC offered her through its courses was phenomenal,” Keith Anderson, Knight’s Companies Recruiter, said. “It made the selection easy for her to become a part of the Knight’s family as an apprentice.”
Jones already has experience in a variety of different types of welding and has earned numerous nationally recognized certifications like OSHA-10 and NCCER. However, what drew Knight’s toward her was not just her grades or qualifications, but her attitude.
“She doesn’t just want to be a basic welder; she wants to go to the top and become a supervisor one day,” Anderson said.
At Knight’s, we plan to give her every opportunity to accomplish these goals and make this a workplace she can eventually retire from someday. But for now, Jones is just happy to start work.
“Saying I’ve been bored at home these past couple of months under quarantine is an understatement,” Jones said. “I’m used to working and being in the shop, but because of the pandemic I haven’t been able to.”
But that will all change soon enough, Jones starts work full-time on May 11, 2020.
For more information contact Mia Grimm at 843-214-5741, mgrimm@knightscompanies.com.
Family owned and operated since 1969, Knight’s Companies offers septic, precast concrete, ready-mix concrete and concrete pumping services to commercial and residential customers in South Carolina and Georgia. Knight’s upholds the highest standards in all aspects of business and will complete jobs other companies won’t even quote. Visit their website at www.knightscompanies.com to learn more.