Growing up and playing in her parents’ backyard, Inez Escamilla loved to put pieces together to make her own inventions.After her first time seeing a welder sculpt metal, the Dripping Springs High School graduate knew what she wanted to be.
“I had always been good with my hands and I like to sweat, so it just felt natural when I stumbled upon welding,” she says. “Every day I got to challenge my body and mind.”
Escamilla enrolled in Austin Community College’s Welding Technology Program. After receiving an associate degree, she began to weld parts at a local restaurant. That’s where she gathered her first clients, and later was inspired to open a shop.
“ACC gave me the opportunity to create the life I wanted to live without working for someone else,” she points out.
I want others to know welding has little to do with gender as much as it has to do with strength, hand-eye coordination, craftsmanship, determination and creativity.
Escamilla also has a strong interest in personal fitness, and she combined her passion for welding and fitness when she opened a second business.
“I designed and built most of the upgrades in my gym,” she says.
As a welder, Escamilla says reaching her goals has been a game of proving her skills.
“Women have to work three times as hard to have their skills and talents respected,” says Escamilla. “I want others to know welding has little to do with gender as much as it has to do with strength, hand-eye coordination, craftsmanship, determination, and creativity.”
She found success by making lasting connections, and taking classes at a college that allowed her to work with professionals in the industry.
“ACC allows you the financial flexibly to follow your heart and passion, while providing class times that fit all types of schedules,” says Escamilla. “I’d like to continue growing my two businesses and improving my life, while making others happy.”