From the outbox of Meyer’s inbox:

There is nothing wrong with reinventing yourself, especially when it comes to landing a job. For those lucky few with lifetime job security this isn’t a real concern. But in a distressed job market, those who are willing to branch out and learn new skills stand a better chance of finding gainful employment. That’s especially true for scores of women who have found themselves displaced. Luckily, they are finding alternatives for themselves in the field of jobs traditionally held by men. It just depends on how much you’re willing to learn.

RATTLE JOB SEEKERS TURN TO THE TRADES by Eve Tahmincioglu writing for NBC Washington

Lisa Szymanski, 45, recently enrolled in an apprenticeship program in Portland, Ore., with her sights on becoming a carpenter. Until recently, she was making her living in graphic arts, but the work has dried up and she decided to try something new.

“As long as you know how to use a hammer, someone will pay you a few bucks to do something,” she said. “You can’t outsource this kind of work. You can’t call India to get a carpenter.”

For the last few decades, the prevailing wisdom among many has been that you have to go to college and get an office job in order to make it in the technological workplace of the future. But today, many workers, rattled by the recession and wondering if their desk jobs will ever come back, are turning to trades that require more hands-on, dirty work — everything from carpentry to plumbing.

These types of jobs may be coming back into vogue thanks in part to promised infrastructure investments from the federal government, such as bridge improvements, which will drive a need for welders. Tax incentives to boost home energy efficiency are opening the door for everything from electricians to solar panel installers.

“Many adults are seeking to improve their technical skills to gain a labor market advantage,” said Clyde Hornberger, executive director for Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, located near Allentown, Pa. Adult enrollment at the school has jumped to 1,057 this year from 855 three years ago, he said.

David Montano, Plumbing and Pipefitting Training Coordinator at Local 412 in Albuquerque, N.M., said the union has a waiting list of 200 people who want to get into the program and a total of 250 apprentices in the program now, compared to 55 apprentices 10 years ago. Among apprenticeship applications, he gets about 20 percent more from adults today than he did a decade ago.

To read the rest of the story, go here.

Even 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.