With less than 25 percent of Wyoming welding jobs held by women, the field is classified as "nontraditional" for the female gender. However, it's also a field offering higher wages than most traditional jobs for women, a fact important in a state with one of the highest gender wage gaps in the country.

Our Families Our Future's CLIMB Wyoming nonprofit program has teamed up with Casper College this summer to help train women in the field of welding, hoping to provide skilled workers for an under-staffed industry and give single mothers a leg up toward self-sufficiency.

"The hope is that women on welfare or other state aid will be able to help themselves out and support themselves and their families," explained Lisa Icenogle, the college's information coordinator.

Please see Saturday's Star-Tribune for the full story