INTRODUCING WOMEN TO THE TRADES FORUM AFFIRMS “WE CAN DO IT!” PHOTOS BY PAT DILLION

With hard hats, hammers and electrical wires in tow, women carpenters, electricians and skilled laborers described their journey to a career in the trades. The women, along with union and company sponsors of apprenticeship training programs, spoke at the INTRODUCING WOMEN TO THE TRADES FORUM, October 22nd, a first for Long Island. The Forum was initiated by the employment rights advocacy organization, Women on the Job, in cooperation with HempsteadWorks, a full service career center and the New York State Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Training Program.

The exceptional panel of tradeswomen, union, and employer apprenticeship sponsors explained the educational requirements, application and testing process, hands-on and class attendance conditions necessary to qualify for the three to five year training programs. The payoff? Salaries that are much higher than wages paid to clerks, service workers and other female dominated occupations. In addition, tradeswomen earn excellent benefits and the enormous gratification of achieving a hard-won goal.

The keynote speaker, Lynn Donohue author of “Brick by Brick – A Woman’s Journey” told her compelling story of determination and success. A high school drop out at the age of 15, Lynn was the first woman in the Northeast to break through the male dominated industry of masonry and first woman to be accepted in her local bricklayers union. Her message of persevering in the face of adversity and pursuing your goals was an inspiration to all.

Women’s interest in careers in the trades is very high, as evidenced by the many that had to be turned away because of the conference room’s maximum capacity of 100. However, the journey to a job in the trades or crafts is not for the fainthearted. At the outset - determination, high motivation and a strong work ethic are essential. In addition, requirements include a high school diploma or GED certificate, math skills, enduring an application/enrollment period that could be a yearlong process, and reliable car transportation necessary to get to training and work sites.

Other sponsors and participants in the Forum included the Building and Construction Trades Council, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW-NYC), Hofstra University School of Labor Studies, Smyler & Associates, Inc., and the Educational Assistance Corporation.

October 2003