skip to main content
HEATHER DEFORD

HEATHER DEFORD

Career Roadmap

HEATHER's work combines: Technology, Business, and Helping People

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Welder and Car Saleswoman

I weld when there is welding to be done. My full time job is selling cars.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Owen Valley High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Industrial Technology/Technician

    Ivy Tech Community College-Central Indiana

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Welders, Cutters, Solderers, & Brazers:

Bachelor's Degree: Industrial Technology/Technician

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    Hanging around wrong people

  • 2.

    Getting into drugs and losing my kids

  • 3.

    Going to rehab

  • 4.

    Going to school

  • 5.

    Opening my own shop

  • 6.

    NEVER GIVING UP

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Discouragement that I faced was being a woman in the field of welding. I decided to open my own welding shop and many men would not bring weld jobs to me because I am a woman. I refuse to give up on my dream just because of the way some people think.

  • How I responded:

    You can do anything you set your mind to. As long as you have faith in yourself and focus on what you want, anything is possible!

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I unfortunately went down the wrong road in life for awhile. I got into drugs and therefore, ended up in jails and prison. I finally decided it was time to change my life and went into rehab. I have been clean every since and life is so much better!