More than 100 people came to the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center with a push to break down barriers to access a fruitful career in the trades on March 7.
The Boys and Girls Club of Dane County and the Latino Academy of Workforce Development partnered to host a Career Construction Fair. Twenty employers came out to speak with people looking to explore a career in the trades ranging from construction, laying cable and concrete to building elevators. The effort was bilingual and planned for increased access by scheduling the career fair 9-5 p.m. on a day Madison Metro schools were off.
The intention to find a day that could bring out as many people as possible was strategic. The Boys and Girls Club and Latino Academy wanted to reach as many as possible with its full day spread and, ideally, lack of need for childcare so that youth and women could attend.
“One of the questions that people had, especially from women, was if women were eligible to come and work these kinds of jobs,” said Nydia Martinez, executive director of the Latino Academy. “We had a radio show and that was one of the most common questions.”
The Latino Academy wants to dispel worries that women cannot enter typically male dominated trades. It still remains a large barrier, but by bringing out other women who have entered into the trades to serve as leaders, Martinez hopes to end hesitation they may have.
Recruiters at the career fair felt the same. Shannon Drezek, who represented the National Elevator Industry Educational Program, feels it starts with representation.
“I bring pictures of myself. I want them to see I’m not just a poster and we didn’t have some AI generated photo,” she said. “This is me working in the field. This is me being a teacher. There are women that are out there.”
A prime barrier both Martinez and Drezek cited was the costs for women to enter the workforce — often called the “Mommy Tax,” which includes expenses for things like child care. Additionally, women are still often paid less than men in equivalent fields and are more often to be passed on promotions. The disparity is even higher for mothers, according to the American Association of University Women.
One of the greatest barriers women often face is finding child care. The Latino Academy does not have child care services, but it tries to match families up with help. A child care center is being planned for The Tributary Hub, 2102 E. Springs Dr., after success was seen in a similar effort in Milwaukee, Drezek said.
But Drezek sees some equitable progress in the trades through advocacy for women. She points to recent recommendations from OSHA and companies now making common trades gear specific for women.
“We have to accommodate them. They can’t be expected to wear men’s boots that are too big and clunky. It has to fit them. [Gloves] have to fit their hands,” Drezek said. “Fall harnesses, which are a big thing in my trade, women have a smaller pelvis than a man. A unisex or male harness, if you outfit that on a woman, they are more likely to break their pelvis or hips.”
