Much of what Alicia Butty knows about welding, she learned as a teenager working in her family’s custom manufacturing business, Butty Manufacturing in Jerseyville, Ontario. “Having grown up in the industry, a lot of what I know today I learned from my father,” says Butty, who is a certified welder and works full-time as a CWB Weld and Quality Assurance Inspector. 

“I thoroughly enjoy my full-time job,” she says, but it’s on Instagram as @canadian_welder_girl where she shines. Her side hustle, creating custom metal signage and other art pieces — including an angel-worthy set of wings — has garnered her more than 30,000 followers.

“In my early years, I was unsure about my career path,” says Butty, who spent some time as a communications major before enrolling in a welding program at Mohawk College. “I knew I liked to work with my hands and be creative with my welding skills. Soon I was getting orders and receiving financial compensation for my art.”

The rest of her welding work speaks for itself.