Why are there so few women in our trade?

[Dennis Alwon]

Don't worry, that's not my real hair.

Geez I would worry about that face more than the hair.

 

[peter d]

Maybe. Will there be food involved?

There's a comedian born every minute, I tell ya!

 

[peter d]

Geez I would worry about that face more than the hair.

Ouch! Another country heard from.

I guess I'm just ugly and I have to accept that.

 

[iwire]

Maybe. Will there be food involved?

Chris you can do better.

 

[480sparky]

Ouch! Another country heard from.

I guess I'm just ugly and I have to accept that.

Maybe you should get Eric Stromers' hair. :grin:

 

[charlie b]

Joined April 2003, eh? Glad to finally hear from you. Let us hope that it won't be another six years until your next post. We are all students of the trade here, regardless of our years of experience or our role within the electrical industry. So do let us have your opinions on the controversial topics, as well as your experiences on the "have you ever seen this" types of questions. You might be the one with the right answer, and any of the rest of us might have it wrong. That is, in my humble opinion, the true benefit of participation in this forum.

 

[chris kennedy]

Chris you can do better.

Your right. Peter, I would like dinner and a movie.

 

[peter d]

Your right. Peter, I would like dinner and a movie.

Wow, should I tell your wife about this?

 

[chris kennedy]

Joined April 2003, eh?

There is something strange here. Third member in 2 weeks that has been a member since 03 and first post in 09???

 

[CopperTone]

In 12 years in the construction trade I've seen 2 woman painters - that was it. Around where I live(next town over actually) I have seen an EC's truck with a womans name on it - never met her though.

I can't say why woman don't get into the trades that much - maybe they think its "mans work". Maybe they think it is too dirty. My wife says all the time she wishes she were a car mechanic. (with what they make I think I wish that sometimes too)
Why aren't there many male nurses? why are most male flight attendants gay and the rest woman? Why are most pilots male? Why are most construction workers male? why were fireman and police officers mostly men? (those fields are taking on more and more woman all the time) I think people are just attracted to certain fields for whatever reason.

Who cares really, as long as people do a good job does it matter what they are? Harassment and ridicule will get you only fired and in trouble with the law now a days - not to mention it's ignorant.

 

[JJWalecka]

Everyone deserves the same opportunities to work for success

JJ

 

[electricalperson]

i never met female electricians before. we had a few girls in shop in high school but thats it

 

[boboelectric]

We had a good cruise last night on the riverboat,"Duchess".The Captain was a Lovely lady of about 25. in Pittsburgh.Pa.

 

[LarryFine]

Sparklet, love the name, and welcome to the zoo! :smile:

My fiance is also my best helper. She often gets suprised reactions, but nobody gives her grief or doubts her abilities.

Hang around and don't be afraid to chime in every once in a while.

 

[Mule]

I am a female sparky, i can only speak for myself, but it is hard to stay in a trade where
it seems the expectations of what i am capable of are set at a very low bar, even before i've had a chance to perform. Also, on most jobs i start , the foreman usually assumes i am an apprentice. Tasks given to me are usually meticulous, redundant or outright stereotypical(i.e., sweeping, cleaning up piles of scrap, etc.), so the experience i
have aquired is not as complete as most electricians that are of the opposite gender.
All that being said, i still have been lucky with a couple of mentors that taught me so
very much and had faith in my ability. I love my trade, and each job i approach with a
positive attitude, and i have certainly had some jobs i loved, others, not so much. But
i believe strongly that the knowledge one should aquire in the trades is completely incumbant upon that person, so i read all these threads, and take classes when i can, and
go to the next job with a positive outlook, eager to work and learn. It was easy getting in
the trade, very difficult to stay in. Also, all female construction workers are not lesbians,
even if they do turn you down for a date!

You "Go" girl !! .....My wife has worked alot with me and carries an aprentice card.....I have a very close friend that is also a EC here in town, and his wife is a Jman ( or how ever you would say that?) She is a excellent hand,and a great person to boot..My wife and I have wired a house together with them, and it worked out great.

 

[charlietuna]

We had one young lady come to work for us in twenty five years--and on a scale of one to ten, she was about a twelve !!! Now, it has always been my opinion that if a woman wants to work in the trade, or any trade, she should be required to have the same skills as the average male. Too many times, they automatically get special treatment which i never agreed with!! Many of these tasks were for the older members of the trades, and now left these members with difficult tasks! This young lady wanted to be in "Television Broadcasting" but wanted to "learn everything from the bottom to the top" as she stated! I told her nothing would be expected of her that wasn't asked of the other apprentices and teamed her up with a mechanic who felt the same as me. He had been installing pipe for some circuits in existing condo's trash room. And he needed a second hand. After lunch she came to me and didn't like working in the trash room--said "it stunk too much". I explained thats where i needed her and thats where the customer needed the work done that was paying her salary. I also explained how much trouble it would be for us to re-arrange the other apprentices to change her to another job. She told me she couldn't go back into the trash room and asked to go home. She went home and i spent the rest of my day helping run the pipe around the trash room. It was not that bad. That evening i called her home and found out from her answering machine that she was a swimming instructor, and ran a swimming school from her home -- i left a message for her to go to an office building in the morning. We were installing data cable thru the ceiling and i teamed her up with another mechanic. At lunch time she told the mechanic her feet hurt her from climbing up and down the ladder and she had to go home. The third day she didn't show up ? I terminated her and the following day went to drop her check off at her house and found her in the pool instructing about ten kids in the art of swimming ! Come to find out, that was the real reason she left work both days at lunch time--she has swimming classes every afternoon!

I have only met one female in the building trades that was fully qualified and held her own when it came to her trade and that was a sprinkler fitter --and she was good and ran the job !

 

[elecplans]

As a female electrician that's been associated w/the electrical trade since 1980, I agree. It always seemed if I proved I wasn't afraid to do any work assigned to me, no matter how dirty or difficult, I was accepted by the men I worked with. As time went on, I started to see more and more women in different construction fields. I actually had 2 different female apprentices on the last job I worked on as an electrician, 1 that was pretty good and willing to work, and 1 that seemed to worry too much about how she looked on the job site. I started as an apprentice, became a journeyman 4 years later, have been an electrical inspector, am a master electrician (1st female master electrician in our city!), and am now an ICC certified electrical plans examiner. Over the years, though, I knew I sometimes lifted more or tried too much to prove I could do the same work and it has taxed me physically. It's been great that I've been able to keep learning through the years and move up the electrical "ladder". I'm married to another master electrician and my brother-in-law is also a master electrician, so you can imagine some of our conversations!

 

[jumper]

I worked with a female electrician when I did resi many years ago. She was one of the quickest romex runners on the project and could trim out faster than most others. Never had a problem. As far as my wife....well I am happy enough that she knows to say open or closed when refering to switching devices.

 

[Mr. Bill]

Just wondering if some of the typical hazing of newbies could drive more women out of the trade. "Go find me a fluorescent lamp bender." Childish humor that many have to endure. Now if some group (women) are significantly under represented and are teased in the first few days/weeks on the jobsite then they might take the jokes the wrong way. They're hyper sensitve. Expecting to be harrassed, insulted or demeaned in any way because they're the only woman on the jobsite. So when anything similar to this is experience they get upset and may not return to the job.

I don't know how much of an impact this has on the number of women in the trade it may be one contributing factor. Also being the lowest on the totem pole they're getting the worst tasks and may feel the boss is trying to force her to quit. I don't have a fair solution to this problem. Just voicing my guess about reasons.

 

[elecplans]

Some of that stuff did happen (sky hooks, romex benders, etc.), but it seemed to me that it also happened to the male apprentices. I think I was a little prepared since I started in construction as a formsetter "trainee" pouring concrete retaining walls on the highway for about 6 months (I had been a receptionist prior to that). Yes, I will admit that I got into the positions because of affirmative action programs back in the late 70's and early 80's, but some of the other women that started when I did ended up not lasting very long. I think if anyone, male or female, has the perseverance to try something new, is willing to learn, and can handle the job, they can put up with a little of this.