Women in the Trades
Rosie the Riveter pretty much set the standard. She was the iconic image of the female work force that took to the factories to build all the planes, tanks and munitions during WWII. Her motto was “we can do it!” And they certainly did. That spirit of independence and determination is very much alive today with all the working tradeswomen from across the country. Trucking and construction isn’t just a man’s world. You never know, that “fella” next to you on the jack hammer might just be a woman.

Sisters In Brotherhood

women on the jobEven though this organization is based out of Chicago, there are plenty of great resources for working women to be found here. Many of the trades are represented along with many social networking outlets. They are also developing their own online magazine.

As anyone will tell you, often it’s not how you do something but who you know. Get to know these women at Sisters In Brotherhood.

Women On The Job #2

From the outbox of Meyer’s inbox –

For women who are considering a career in the trades, it is important to know that you won’t be working alone. More and more women are entering into the sections of the workforce once dominated by men. Here is a great profile of two such hardworking women.

NEWARK FEMALE FIREFIGHTER AND CONSTRUCTION WORKER BLAZE TRAILS by Chanta L. Jackson writing for the Newark Star Ledger

woman in constructionWhen Katrina Hall and Pierriette Hopkins go to the bathroom, they make sure they lock the door, because nobody expects them to be there. In the midst of putting out fires and knocking down walls, this is something they have to think about as they infiltrate the male-dominated work force.

Hall, 34, is one of two women serving in the Newark Fire Department. Sworn in last July, she has helped put out three fires to date, while continuing to raise her two daughters, 14 years and 15 months.

Hopkins, 30, chose the construction industry after her father died and she couldn’t afford to pay her tuition at New York University. She is the youngest of 17 children and watched many of her siblings fall victim to drugs and crime. Construction gave her a career and a future.

With Women’s History Month under way, Hall and Hopkins represent modern-day women’s history. The concept for Women’s History Month is actually more than 150 years old, born in 1857 when women working in a New York City factory protested their working conditions. Ironically, these two women are keen on proving that women can perform any job, despite the difficulty of the working conditions, or the lack of privacy in the bathroom. Read More...