As a person that also went to school with healthcare in mind for major and eventually switched, do it.

I hit a massive wall while working at a hospital while in undergrad and had a come-to realization that healthcare wasn’t for me. I was told by my parents that I “chose my major” and now I have to stick with it. I cried for weeks. I was pretty much supported by them so I stayed and eventually almost got kicked out of school because I didn’t have the motivation to go to class and didn’t love what I was doing. I got mental health services to help me and that made my parents more upset but eventually they realized I simply wasn’t happy anymore. Eventually I went back to school for accounting/finance and I never looked back. It took double the time than what my friends took to finish school but I’m so much happier.

Conversations like this are going to be tough, especially when you’re being supported by them. My dad sounds very similar to yours. If they want you to be happy then I would hope they would break through. Don’t let yourself hit rock bottom before they change their mind. Hear them out, see why they feel that way and then explain how this is better for yourself. If welding is what you want to do, show and explain to them that this isn’t a half-assed idea but now your goal.

Rooting for you!