Succeeding as a woman in a historically male-centric industry is no small task. Here are some of the best resources available to women working in the skilled trades.
5 Best Resources for Women in Skilled Trades
Updated on Oct. 20, 2023
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NAWIC Career Center
Sixteen women working in the construction industry in Fort Worth, Tex. founded The National Association of Women in Construction in 1953. Today, the organization has more than 115 chapters across the U.S. It provides its members with career development opportunities and a network of support in a male-dominated industry.
One of the best resources the NAWIC offers is its Career Center, a thorough, easily searchable database of construction job openings across the U.S.
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Tradeswoman, Inc.
California-based Tradeswoman, Inc. is dedicated to “increasing the number of women in construction and related trades.” It primarily serves as an advocate for the industry, recruiting women by spreading awareness of the trades as a rewarding and potentially lucrative career path.
Tradeswoman, Inc. helps women kickstart their careers through apprenticeship placement and career advancement programs. More information on these programs and Tradeswoman, Inc. can be found here.
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U.S. DoL Women’s Bureau
The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau is a 100-year-old agency that formulates federal standards and policies to protect working women in the U.S.. The Bureau serves as a fantastic source for women across all industries by providing important information on equal pay and pay transparency protections, employment protections for workers who are pregnant or nursing, apprenticeship grants and other federal resources.Â
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Professional Women in Construction
Back in 1980, eight women planning to attend a construction industry event decided to band together rather than go separately. That decision was the birth of “Professional Women in Construction,” now a national association built around connecting women working in the construction industry as a supportive community of like-minded professionals.
Five regional chapters are based in New York, Boston, Connecticut, New Jersey and Philadelphia. More information on how to join (or start) a PWC chapter in your area can be found here.
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Women Employed
Women Employed is an advocacy organization that bands with workers, organizations and employers to create a more equal and inclusive environment in the workforce. The organization describes its vision as “a world in which all women can advance economically and achieve their aspirations.”
Women Employed provides women with educational resources on topics like worker’s rights and policy changes, while also working within communities to affect real change. For more information on Women Employed, go here.
