More and more women are finding rewarding careers in the building trades.
While secretaries, nurses and school teachers comprise the top three career fields employing women, a greater percentage are becoming interested in more men-dominated jobs. One such industry is the building trades, including electrical work.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only 1.5 percent of electricians were women in 2010. But those numbers are rising, thanks to union electrical apprenticeship programs through the Warren and Youngstown Electrical JATCs. The JATCs are affiliated with NECA-IBEW Electricians.
Brittany Massacci is a commercial electrician apprentice in Warren.
As women like Brittany Massacci, a current apprentice in Warren, explains in this video, women belong in the skilled trades and can reap many benefits.
“You hear rumors, people tell you women don’t belong in the trade,” Massacci said. “I have not been treated differently in any way, shape or form. It is very nice to know you have the job security to provide for your family. Working 40 hours a week, you’re guaranteed a full paycheck with great benefits.
“If anyone from my best friend to someone off the street asked me if they should join the program, I wouldn’t even hesitate to tell them yes. It’s a great thing to do, it’s a great career and it’s a great future.”
Earn college credit while you learn the trade
After high school, most students choose to either attend college or get a job. What if you could choose both?
Warren and Youngstown JATC apprentices can have the best of both worlds – earning a paycheck and work experience by day and continuing their education in the classroom a few nights a week.
Here’s a bonus – apprentices earn college credits; as many as 36 credits through Northwest State Community College, which is just a few classes short of an Associate’s Degree.
For more information on union electrical apprentice programs in Warren and Youngstown and how to get in the game, visit http://atradethatpays.com.