On March 4th, Tradeswomen Sisterhood hosted Blueprints to Success: Women’s Career Pathways in the Unionized Building Trades in collaboration with the Inland Empire Labor Institute, the Inland Empire Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Inland Civil Rights Institute, where it was held.
Containing a presentation, panel, and Q&A, this event kicked off their programming for Women in Construction week. Women in Construction week takes place every year, from March 2nd to March 8th.
Venessa Ingalls, founder of Tradeswomen Sisterhood and 4th-generation member of IBEW 440 organized this event and gave a presentation about the ins and outs of apprenticeship programs in the region.
Geared towards novices, Venessa went over aspects of the unionized trades in depth. Covering apprenticeships, conditions for women on the job site, pay scales, and much more. Key terms were explained at length with a mindset of “teaching what I wish I knew when I started.”
A particular emphasis of the presentation was why Tradeswomen Sisterhood runs the Women’s Initiative for Readiness in Electrical (WIRE) pre-apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship programs are open to all, from complete newcomers to those with work experience. However, to become employed you rank high in their aptitude test as only those with high scores are chosen. Those with previous experience usually have an advantage and are typically male. Since many women aren’t typically brought up to hold this same knowledge, the creation of a pre-apprenticeship program was necessary to increase women’s chances in getting accepted into an apprenticeship.
Shared difficulties
Once Venessa concluded her presentation there was a short lunch break prior to the panel discussion. 6 tradeswomen joined Venessa up front to discuss all of the benefits of being in the unionized building trades, while not sugarcoating the negatives that come with the construction industry.
Panelists mentioned how their careers are fulfilling, and how they’re filled with pride every time they see a building they helped build. One panelist mentioned that she feels they’re all artists, and a sense of accomplishment comes with that. While they’ve found success now, the steps to their positions were marked with difficulty. Sexism is still present in the industry, with slow progress being made. Panelists mentioned how open harassment is less likely — though not gone — due to the possibility of legal consequences, or union members standing up for each other.
One of the universal drawbacks for panelists was the lack of adequate bathroom facilities on the job site. The vast majority of the time, they’re porta-potties and everyone had their own strategies for making them slightly more agreeable. This discomfort goes beyond just the bathroom as well. Each panelist echoed that the feeling of discomfort being the only or one of few women on a job site never truly goes away. The ability to sit with that discomfort does however get easier. It’s that feeling of otherness that Tradeswomen Sisterhood wants to combat.
All panelists mentioned the gratitude they had for being able to participate in the event, because they know the importance of visibility. One of their goals is showing women it’s possible to not just enter, but to thrive in the trades.
Ending the day
The entire audience left the event with new information and knowledge, be it from speakers or from the resources found in the back of the room. We hope that some in attendance will go on to join WIRE or some of the other upcoming apprenticeship readiness programs. If you or someone you know is interested, visit Tradeswomen Sisterhood’s website here to stay updated.
Congratulations to Tradeswomen Sisterhood, the Inland Empire Labor Institute, the Inland Empire Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Inland Civil Rights Institute for their work in making this event. Let’s all continue to support a larger, stronger labor movement for all!
