Carla Jean Villaruel sparks in male-dominated world

CEBU, Philippines - Teaching a bundle of competencies in welding to men is terribly challenging to 18-year-old Carla Jean Villaruel most especially that her students are “mostly older than her and are more accomplished professionally.”

A bundle of competencies available for a Journeyman Course, at the Brilliant Metal Craft and Machine Design along C. Borces Street in Mabolo, includes Gas Metal Arc Welding, Sheet Metal Works and Cladding, Machining, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Pipefitting, Gas Welding, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding. A journeyman is one who has fully served an apprenticeship in a trade or craft and is a qualified worker in another’s employ.

“I normally would tell them po on the day of orientation na kahit sila’y mga teachers, engineers, policemen, nurses or managers na, they have to leave their egos at the doors of the BMC. I salute them for their excellence in their respective fields, but since they come here at BMC to study welding, they have to pay attention to my instructions being their trainor,” Villaruel said.

“Kasi po, much better po kung klaro sa kanila yun so that we could work harmoniously regardless kung ano sila sa labas,” she added.

Villaruel shared that it took her time to adjust to the situation. She, too, felt that her students think of her as too young for the job. However, with hard work and dogged determination, she gained that respect from them.

When asked on the chances of women succeeding in this male-dominated world, Villaruel mentioned of the women-workers she met at the Tsuneishi shipbuilding facility in Balamban. “I was able to visit there one time when we checked our project there in cladding and insulation. As we were walking towards the fleet of vessels we have to check, we passed through fabrication sites and welding sites.”

“I saw them (welders) mga 10 to 20 feet above us na nagtratrabaho. You would not think that they are women po until the time they take off their welding mask. Kasi kung mag-perform, aakalain mo po talaga na mga lalaki sila. In my observation po, mas madali po kasing matuto ang women and they could perform it na mas pulido po kasi di po ba, nature po yun nating mga babae na neat and well-organized sa lahat ng gawain.”

Earlier, Villaruel mentioned of going to school at the Doos Elementary School in Doos del Sur, Hindang (mid-part of Leyte) and of graduating from the MLG College of Learning in Hilongos, Leyte as class valedictorian in 2007. Hilongos is a neighboring town of Hindang. She then enrolled at the Visayas State University in Baybay, Leyte and took up Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish the course due to financial constraints. So, as the situation demanded, I was forced to stop from schooling. I was only 16 then when I traveled to Imus, Cavite to work and supposedly to study at the same time.”

She mentioned that her parents separated ways when she was still very young. “They have different families na po simula nong elementary pa po ako. Nasa Cavite po papa ko. I have two sisters and a brother on my father’s side. Sa mother’s side ko naman, I have a sister and three brothers,” she said.

Work led her to A Plastic and Metal Fabrication as tool keeper for six months, and she got promoted as quality control officer and as draftsman, as well. “But I find my allowance insufficient to send myself to school and finish a degree because it is so expensive to study in the city,” Villaruel went on.

It was a good thing, she said, that a common friend of hers and Dr. Edward Dampor Sr., the founder and general manager of BMC, advised her to call the latter up.

“Since I already met Dr. Edward last March 17, 2007, I called him up telling him that I find it difficult to send myself through college, and that I have decided to use my savings and come here at the BMC to study a short-term welding course. I got my training in SMAW 6G last September 17 to November 24, 2009. I came here as a scholar of Dr. Edward,” she further said.

“Wala naman pong regrets on my part that I didn’t pursue Agribusiness kasi po I know I could still be successful in welding,” Villaruel said.

“In fact it is a blessing to be with BMC. Right after the training, BMC absorbed me into their training staff. I teach SMAW with two batches of trainees already this year under my care.”

And in fact, she added, she is beginning to reap her rewards in teaching through the deployment of some of her students to Qatar and New Zealand. “A student of mine is there already in New Zealand, while some have already passed trade tests for Qatar and Saudi Arabia.” Also, another student - Bernadette Gomez - competed in the MySkills-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Competition 2010 in Selangor, Malaysia last May 20 to 26.

As for her lovelife, she answered with a giggle, “Siguro po matagal-tagal pa po yun. Bata pa po ako. And I haven’t tried intimate relationships kasi po sa panahon ngayon mahirap na. He-he!”

As for her aspirations to find work outside of the country, she replied: “Hindi pa pwedeng lumipad outside of the country and tsaka po nag-eenjoy naman po ako teaching, kasi po it was my dream in my childhood days to be a teacher someday. I just didn’t know na sa welding po ako magiging teacher. Talaga po palang masarap sa pakiramdam kung ma-iimpart mo yung knowledge mo sa kapwa mo Pilipino who aspire to earn money abroad lalo kapag nakakaalis kaagad sila after graduation.”

When it comes to her methodologies, she mentioned of imparting the lessons on “actual demonstration sa mga welding booths nila.”

“Gina-guide ko po kamay nila so that they could manipulate well. Lahat po ng alam ko, I do share it to our trainees. Walang tinatagong skills and techniques kasi po it is our mission to produce quality welders of the nation.”

“We could not expect to have 100-percent fast-learner trainees. Meron din po namang, should I say, gradual lang po ang learning nila, so ang ginagawa ko po, I man that trainee hanggang sa makuha niya ang bundle of competencies totally.”

Before closing the interview, Villaruel has this piece of advice for those who shun from technical/vocational courses: “You spend much for a four-year course. Mahal na tapos mabuti kung makaka-graduate. Kung hindi naman, baka mapariwara lang. Kasi po four years is too long. Kung makakagraduate man, jobless naman after graduation. Whereas, if you study welding courses, 45 days lang po employable na in and outside of the country.”