WOMEN CONTINUE TO BREAK GROUND IN CONSTRUCTION

The past decade has seen quite a bit of change throughout the construction industry. The rise of technology has paved the way for better design and management software, and has made jobs much more efficient. Organizations have become better about incorporating safety into their overall culture. And sustainable building practices have become the norm.

But one thing has stayed the same: Women are still largely underrepresented in this ever-growing industry.

According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), women make up 9.1 percent of the U.S. construction workforce. This figure encompasses all positions held by women, including executive, administrative and other office positions. A much smaller percentage — just 3.4 percent, according to Construction Dive — is involved in field work across the trades.

So, why are women staying off jobsites? Historically, the trades have been dominated by men, and women have often been the subject of harassment and inequality. Although the issue persists even into 2020, many companies are experiencing a shift toward more inclusive cultures and attitudes, and SMACNA Greater Chicago union partners are seeing the benefits.

“The first week is always a little weird because most men have never worked with a woman,” said Danielle Wilson, a second-year apprentice at Sheet Metal Workers Local 265. “They don’t know what to say and wonder if they should watch their mouth, but then they realize I’m just one of the guys and they become like my big brothers. It’s not how it was 20, 30, 40 years ago where men didn’t want women on the jobsite. They’re all for it now — especially the younger generation.”

“There have a been a few people who have made comments that crossed a line, and I’ve pulled them aside and said it makes me uncomfortable and they immediately stop and are pretty respectful,” said 23-year-old Melissa Simboli, a first year apprentice with Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union 73.

“Probably the only issue that I’ve had is being underestimated or prejudged that I won’t be able to complete a task or figure something out on my own,” said 39-yearold Mariel Harris, a fourth-year apprentice with Local 73. “As a woman, don’t look for special treatment. Go in with a mindset that’s totally opposite — that you can do the job twice as good, you can work twice as hard and really make it known that you are willing to pull your weight.”

Despite the occasional obstacle, these strong-minded and capable women count themselves lucky to have discovered the trades as a viable career path.

“My dad is a sheet metal worker, and from a young age he told me and my brothers to either go to college or learn a trade,” Simboli said. “After a few years of college, no motivation and acquiring student debt, my dad made the suggestion to take the aptitude test. I figured, ‘What do I have to lose?’ and went for it. The more time that went on, the more it made sense for me to do this.”

For Wilson, 35, being a stayat-home mom was no longer a viable option after going through a divorce. Although she originally went to college to pursue medicine, it didn’t take long to reevaluate her career path with the encouragement of the tradesmen in her family.

“All the males in my family are in the trades,” she said. “My brotherin-law, who’s in sheet metal, told me for years, ‘You need to do it.’ Finally, I did. Now, I love welding; I absolutely love it! If I could weld or solder all day, that’s what I would do.”

Higher education was also part of Harris’ journey before she entered the trades, but hers was in the capacity of a counselor/advisor at colleges and universities for 10 years before she was laid off.

“After that, I had trouble finding employment for a long time, and as a new mom I had to find something,” Harris said. “I took a job with a non-union auto manufacturing company and basically ran a welding machine for 12 hours a day. After six months, the plant manager trained me to weld. I was working six or seven days a week and never saw my son, so the chunk of my life that work took was not worth it. I looked into the union side and went through Chicago Women in Trades to train for my entrance exam, and the rest is history.”

Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) helps local women earn a good living by connecting them with information, training and employment opportunities, and Local 73 finds the organization extremely helpful in finding qualified candidates for their apprenticeship program.

“We do a lot of recruiting through CWIT, and a lot of the women that we get come through their organization,” said Michael Skraba, Local 73 training coordinator. “We also participate in area career fairs. I have a female instructor here, Patricia Hoffman, who is our welding and shop instructor, and we’ve brought her to a lot of the career fairs. A lot of the females at high schools are much more responsive to her. She’s phenomenal.”

Local 73 and Local 265, both valued SMACNA Greater Chicago labor partners, are among the unions committed to maintaining the highest skilled workforce in the Chicagoland area. In addition to on-the-job training, apprentices receive top-notch classroom training that replicates work performed in the field.

“Local 73 puts a lot of work into developing our skills, which I really appreciate,” Simboli said.

For apprentices who want to go the extra mile in their education, optional night classes are offered in addition to the regular curriculum.

“I’ve taken night classes of some sort since I was able to as a firstyear. The more specialties that I know, the better I can do the job as a whole,” Harris said. “There are a lot of different areas where you can branch off in sheet metal, like architecture or welding, and night classes are a great way to further your education or get additional certifications.”

Simboli agrees that gaining as much experience in the industry as possible — especially as a woman — elevates your expertise in the eyes of your peers and helps you gain respect.

“When people look at you and you say you’re a sheet metal worker, they’re going to instantly make a judgement,” she said. “Get as many certifications and qualifications you can possibly get your hands on. Anything to show your credibility is definitely going to help you in the long run.”

In April 2019, Local 73 officially started a women’s committee that is now nearly 20 union sisters strong. Among the committee’s goals: get women to become more active in the local union, offer educational opportunities to women outside the trades, recruit more women into the field and build camaraderie.

“I’m hoping we get the opportunity to go to high schools and job fairs to talk to women,” Simboli said. “When I was in school, the question was never DO you want to go to college, it was always WHERE are you going? The trades offer a real fruitful possibility, and I wish I had known when I was 19 or 20 how much I could be making instead of going $20,000 in debt!”

Harris agrees that recruiting more women into the trades is crucial, but it’s equally important for tradeswomen who have already chosen the career to show up and be involved in union meetings.

“That way, your presence is known and you have a voice,” she said. “There are not a lot of women, so if we don’t speak up, things don’t get addressed. Men simply don’t know what it’s like to be a woman in the industry, so to come to the table with an open mind and ideas on what can be better are beneficial to everyone.”

Although Local 265 doesn’t have a women’s committee yet, Wilson wants women considering the trades to know that the risk of the unknown is well worth the reward.

“Don’t be scared and just do it,” she said. “There’s such a huge variety of opportunities and things to do in this industry. Not only is the pay amazing, but the benefits are amazing and I don’t have to rely on anybody financially anymore. Everything I’ve worked so hard for, it’s mine. It’s great pay, great benefits, great everything.”

Each of these Local 73 and Local 265 females became apprentices at different stages in their lives, but none of them doubt the choice they made to enter the sheet metal industry. As proud union members, they hope to connect with other women, share their experiences and inspire them to join a rewarding career that’s fastgrowing and high-paying.