Breaking the Mold: Brittany Bragg, Structural Welding

Brittany in the NMCC welding lab, working on an unlimited vertical test using 7018 rods.

Brittany never imagined herself following a traditional college path.

After completing high school online, her parents encouraged her to continue her education, and she enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy for engineering. After one semester, she realized it was not the right fit. Following a medical separation from the Navy due to an injury, she returned home to Aroostook County.

Then came a broken tractor on the family farm and a simple question, “Can you weld this for me?” That moment sparked something new. Soon after, Brittany applied to the Structural Welding program at Northern Maine Community College.

Brittany has loved her experience in the program and has felt supported by her instructors throughout. She says, “[NMCC] feels like a family environment where they want to see you succeed in school and outside of school.”

Rick Taggett, Structural Welding instructor at NMCC, shares, “Brittany is a hardworking, safety-conscious student in the welding program. She follows directions and takes constructive criticism well. I am sure she will succeed in whatever she puts her mind to.”

One of Brittany’s favorite aspects of welding is the wide range of opportunities the field offers. From manufacturing and farm equipment repair to working on destroyers, submarines, or even small custom projects, welding skills can be applied in many different ways.

After graduation, Brittany hopes to work locally, possibly in fabrication. As a mother of two young children, she is also motivated to set a strong example, showing them how hard work and determination can lead to meaningful opportunities.

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, Brittany has found NMCC to be welcoming and supportive. She says her instructors treat everyone equally, and all students are held to the same standards.

While she acknowledges challenges, including physical demands like overhead welding, as well as working as a left-handed welder, she emphasizes that practice and persistence help build the skills needed to succeed.

Brittany encourages other women to consider a career in the trades.

“You’re going to be nervous, and there’s going to be some fear that you’re going to mess up or be judged or get picked on, but just get out there and do it,” she says. “It may be out of some people’s comfort zone, but it’s 100% worth it.”