Women are steadily entering the skilled trades, and nonprofits are paving the way with training, support, and advocacy.
The number of women in the skilled trades has been steadily increasing in the last few years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found women made up 2.9% of electricians, 4.2% of carpenters, and 6% of welders in 2024. With that has come a slowly improving work environment for tradeswomen, a concerted effort made by the women before them. California nonprofit Tradeswomen, Inc. (TWI) was founded in 1979 by such women.
Before this year, when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ruled that employers must provide properly-fitted Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all employees, the standard PPE was male-centric. Her pants, too big, might be more easily caught by a nail on a beam; her helmet, oversized, may slide down, blocking her vision. TWI had been stepping in to help, providing stipends and connections to PPE distributors.
The nonprofit fills in the gaps left by unions. When women encounter gender-specific issues on-site, unions are often slow or reluctant to respond. TWI, with the help of Equal Rights Advocates, can be there to just talk through the situation or help you reach a resolution.
“We can help them file a grievance directly with the union, but mostly we’re there just for them to bounce off of,” said Executive Director Juanita Douglas. With over 30 years of skilled trades experience under her belt, Douglas and her staff are readily available to answer questions and give tips. They act like a college’s Title XI office, without the bureaucratic mess.
The recruiters also know that the trades are a great way to find financial independence and make enough to support a family. The wage gap is often lower within the industry, and unionized tradeswomen make the same as their male counterparts. TWI makes an effort to show young women early on that there is a choice beyond college.
Preparing girls for skilled trades
TWI goes into California high schools and shows juniors and seniors that their opportunities are endless. What was the Women Can Build Hands-On Career Fair (co-hosted with the Bay Area Apprenticeship Coordinators Association) has now evolved into skilled trades camps for young women. The 18 construction camps will be at high schools in the Marin and Sonoma school districts over the next year. For a few Saturdays or after-school classes, the instructors, supplies, and food are provided. The (mostly) young women will learn and build confidence in their skills. They will earn first aid and CPR certifications, work together on a building project, and meet people who want to help them succeed.
When the women are ready to choose the skilled trades, TWI gets them into pre-apprenticeships (MC3 programs). These are for figuring out which skilled trade they go into, through two weeks of OSHA training and lots of exposure to all the skilled trades. TWI wants more women in the skilled trades. It’s their mission and their background, and they’re ready to help women achieve it. The more women go into the skilled trades, the more news and media representation there will be. The more women there are on job sites, the more likely construction crew catcalling will fade out of the norm. The more women, the closer the population is to equality and equity between the sexes.
