Mikala Sposito: First US Woman to Compete in Welding at WorldSkills Competition

Mikala Sposito, a 21-year-old student from Dexter, Michigan, has become the first woman to represent the United States in welding at the WorldSkills Competition in China.

Sposito, a student at Washtenaw Community College, secured her position by winning the USA Weld Trials held in Huntsville, Alabama, earlier this year.

Reflecting on the competitive selection process, Sposito stated, It was very, very close the whole time, but I was the one who made it to Shanghai.

The WorldSkills Competition is frequently described as the Olympics of the skilled trades. The event is designed to identify the highest level of global talent across various technical disciplines, including manufacturing, robotics, information technology, and construction, as well as welding.

Sposito’s achievement is part of a broader legacy of success at Washtenaw Community College. The Ann Arbor-based institution has produced more WorldSkills welding alumni than any other school in the United States, and Sposito is the sixth student from the college to qualify for the competition.

Her preparation has been guided by Alex Pazkowski, an instructor and mentor at the college who finished second in the 2013 competition. Pazkowski accompanied Sposito to the American championships in Alabama and will continue to serve as her coach during a series of preparatory competitions in Australia and Canada leading up to the main event in September.

The training regimen for the competition is intensive. Sposito currently completes 80 hours of welding practice per week at Washtenaw Community College.

Pazkowski noted that Sposito faces a long, hard road ahead, but emphasized the professional benefits of the experience.

But at the end of the day, if you’re successful, it’s gonna open up all kinds of doors for you

Alex Pazkowski

During the WorldSkills Competition, Sposito will be judged on her craftsmanship and technical execution. These evaluations will take place under stringent international standards and strict time constraints.

While Sposito is making history as the first American woman in her field to compete at this level, she views the technical nature of the work as being independent of gender.

Sposito explained, I don’t see the gender aspect of it. I mean, welding doesn’t take any brute strength or anything. It’s actually very fine, and precise.

Despite this perspective, Sposito acknowledges that women remain a minority in the discipline she has practiced since age 10. She expressed that she is happy to be ‘inspirational for many women in the trades who have possibly struggled.’

Looking beyond the competition in China, Sposito intends to pursue further academic credentials. Her near-term objective is to earn a bachelor’s degree in welding engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit.

In the long term, Sposito has considered returning to Washtenaw Community College to teach, following the professional path of her mentor, Pazkowski.

For Sposito, the opportunity to compete on a global stage is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition. I always wanted to be the first female to do something, she said.