i want to work as a welder, how bad is the work environment as a young woman?

i'm 17 and i'll be 18 this year. i'm graduating in june and i plan on taking one gap year to save money and then enrolling in a welding program in september of next year. after completing that, i'll be 19, close to 20. i'm really nervous about working in that environment, but i really love welding.

i haven't exactly narrowed down where i would work as a welder, but my moms cousin is really good friends with a union president who works as a boilermaker, and got his daughter (who is two years older than me) a job at their company, working as a boilermaker.

it could be a really good job for me, but it's in another province and i'm (as much as it sucks to admit) really scared of being mistreated, especially in a new environment away from most of my family. i know i'll get used to it and be okay if that does become a reality for me, but how bad can it actually get?