Tulsa Welding School Recruits Diverse Students

As part of Black History Month and Career & Technical Education Month, Tulsa Welding School is trying to recruit more students from black and minority communities.

Tulsa Welding School said it's using this month to help Black and minority students find successful and thriving careers in the skilled trades.

Tulsa Welding School has been around for more than 70 years. The welding school said Black and Latino students make up less than half of the student body.

New president, Shalisa Powell, said she has plans for change.

"We want to diversify our student body to match what's out there in the general population," said Shalisa Powell.

Powell said Tulsa Welding School is doing more high school visits, partnering with minority organizations and hiring more instructors of color.

"When we do have our Black and Latino students who come to us, they have someone to mentor them. Someone that understands them and can get them to the next level," said Powell.

Powell said representation matters and can tell the importance of being a Black woman in a leadership role on the campus.

"I sit in the front of the school with a big glass window and my students can just walk in anytime and say, 'hey I need help on this, do you know a resource of this, that and the other', " said Powell.

Powell said she goes in the community to reach more potential students.

"Black churches, Black hair salons, Black barbershops, all of those places that is community -- those are some of the places that unite us as a community," said Powell.

She wants minorities to know trade schools can lead to good careers for them.

"That they're able to feed their families, they're able to change their lives, that they're able to make sure that their needs are met, and they can do that through a skilled trade because there's so much opportunity out there," said Powell.

To learn more about Tulsa Welding School, click here.