There’s been such a big push to get more women interested in welding as a career, and I can see by some of the comments on this site, our readers are often women who are looking for information about getting into the industry. And so, with summer winding down and Labor Day just around the corner… that means Back To School! Your first classes will probably be basic MIG and Stick welding, so you won’t need fancy expensive equipment at first, but you will want some good basic personal protection equipment (PPE) products. We recommend at a minimum: welding gloves, a jacket, a helmet, and a respirator.