Women Discuss Working in Building Trades

They work in an industry dominated by men, but more women are proving they can have a successful career in construction.A number of women interviewed for the latest Cleveland Building Trades video are trying to change people’s minds about who can successfully work in the construction field.Released in April, the video promotes women working in construction by discussing how a number of women are doing the same demanding construction jobs as men.The women discuss what it is like working in an industry dominated by men and how they overcame obstacles to find a great career in the building trades. The key, several point out, is not to allow people to define them by their gender.They also talk about the need to prove to themselves, and to the journeymen they work with, that they are capable of doing the same work as a man – after all, they receive the same apprenticeship education.While not a job for people who are afraid to get dirty, construction is one of the fastest growing industries in the country and many construction trades are actively looking to diversify their membership by hiring more females. The Cleveland Tradeswomen Committee, for instance, hosts quarterly events specifically designed to introduce women to trade unions and potential careers in construction.Unlike other industries where women can be discriminated against in terms of pay, hourly wages are set by union contracts, meaning women receive the exact same hourly rate as the men in their same trade classification.Watch the video and help spread the word that the affiliated unions of the Cleveland Building Trades are looking for women to join the workforce today!