Her Story
About Belinda
Belinda Ballard is an accomplished welding and quality control professional with more than 12 years of experience in welding operations, quality assurance, and engineering support across the industrial, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Currently serving as Quality Control Manager at Performance Contractors, she oversees welding operations, weld mapping, ISOs, and piping scope execution on large-scale power plant projects. Known for her technical precision, leadership, and commitment to excellence, Belinda has built a reputation for maintaining the highest standards of safety, compliance, and workmanship while supporting successful project execution in demanding environments.
Belinda’s career began after attending Tulsa Welding School, where she discovered a natural talent and passion for welding and fabrication. She became highly skilled in working with exotic metals and advanced welding processes, qualifying procedures for major organizations including General Electric and Ford Motor Company using materials and applications they had not previously worked with. One of the most rewarding experiences in her career was serving as a Welding Engineer with AM General LLC, where she helped release a new armored vehicle platform from the ground up and managed welding qualifications for armored materials. Throughout her journey, Belinda balanced working full-time nights as a welder while pursuing her engineering education, demonstrating the determination and discipline that continue to define her professional path.
Belinda earned her engineering degree from ECPI University while simultaneously building her career in the field, a challenging accomplishment that helped prepare her for leadership roles in quality management and engineering. She is also an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), a nationally recognized and highly respected certification within the welding industry. Beyond her technical career, Belinda has remained active in volunteer work and community involvement over the years, valuing opportunities to support others while continuing to grow both personally and professionally. Passionate about continuous improvement, she is considering further advancing her career by pursuing her engineering stamp and expanding her expertise in welding, engineering, and quality systems leadership.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Belinda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say discipline has been crucial to getting me this far. Networking has also played an important role in my career advancement. I've learned to just keep going no matter what, which is advice I've stuck with throughout my journey. Staying consistent in my field and maintaining that discipline through long hours and challenging schedules has been key to my success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to just keep going. That's what I've been told throughout my career, and that's what I've stuck with. No matter how challenging things get, whether it's working nights while going to school or dealing with the demanding schedules in this industry, I've learned that persistence and not giving up is what gets you through and helps you succeed.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would probably say, try not to let outside influences get to you. This industry can be challenging, especially for women, but it's important to stay focused on your goals and not let external pressures or negativity affect your path. If you have the passion and the drive, don't let anyone discourage you from pursuing your career in this field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is definitely the demanding schedule and work-life balance. In this industry, it's a lot of long hours, months and months of work with no days off. I'm currently working 12-hour night shifts from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night, which really disrupts your sleep schedule. It definitely takes a special mindset to be able to start projects and be there through completion, because the commitment required is intense and ongoing.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are definitely honesty and loyalty. These principles guide how I approach my professional relationships and how I conduct myself in all aspects of my career. Maintaining integrity and being someone people can count on has been fundamental to building trust and advancing in my field.
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