For some women, an ordinary job in an office, the service industry, or retail just isn’t the right fit. I know that typical 9-5 office jobs are not the right place for me... so what’s a woman to do if you’re not super-stoked to go to your ‘boring’ job every day?
I know it sounds old fashioned, but men have, and still are, dominated the one place women need to show up more often – careers in the trades. Construction, electrician, sheet metal, dry walling, cabinet making and more.
So, what kind of woman chooses a career in the trades? The answer is: all kinds. Some begin training for a trade while they are still in high school, while others decide to retrain when they are in their thirties, forties or older. Some have husbands and the typical ‘nuclear family’, and some are single mothers who need to balance their work life with child-care responsibilities. Some have previous experience and some have never even picked up a hammer before, and had no idea they could ever be able to fix anything without someone’s help.
With so much economic stimulus going on across the United States and Canada (as well as many other countries), skilled trades workers are in demand. Infrastructure and commercial construction projects are cropping up everywhere; many with not enough skilled workers to fill the jobs they have.
The trades offer a mental and physical challenge that allows for problem-solving, creative thinking and hands on ‘get it done!’ skills. I don’t know about you, but sometimes, all I really want is to work my muscles and see what I’ve accomplished at the end of the day.
Carmen is one woman who is making the trades work for her. A single mom, 33-year old Carmen needed to find a way to provide for herself and her child, but without any specific skills, she had no choice but to accept low-paying positions. She was smart, hard-working and very capable, but needed some hands on training to make it work. She worked as a cleaner or day laborer but hadn’t found stable, fulfilling work. "I knew the jobs I liked best were the ones that were physical and hands-on,” she said, “but I needed training to get a job that paid more than minimum wage."
Now, Carmen is working a company that builds hospital and laboratory equipment from sheet metal and is making great money. A little research opened up a world for Carmen that hadn’t occurred to her in the past.
In almost every state or province in North America, there are employment programs for women, and the trades programs are in definite need for more female students. A Google search for “Women in Trades programs United States” netted me 6.18 million results. Canada’s programs come in just below that at 4.26 million results. With that much opportunity out there, it seems silly not to take advantage of much of it.
The need for skilled trades people is increasing all the time as more and more buildings, upgrades and commercial structures are built. Time to get your piece of that money.
About the Author
Colleen Coplick is a jack of many trades. You'll find her orchestrating the latest social media campaign and teaching ROI and the keys of measurement as she goes, as well as enjoying the travel scene. She is a writer, aspiring novelist, plot & character ninja. Want more? Email her at
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I know it sounds old fashioned, but men have, and still are, dominated the one place women need to show up more often – careers in the trades. Construction, electrician, sheet metal, dry walling, cabinet making and more.
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