Women’s History Month – Women in Skilled Trades
When you think of skilled trades, what comes to mind? Hard hats, hammers, maybe even heroes? But what about heroines? For centuries it has been said that women, although they did not get the acknowledgment they deserved early on, helped construct some of the most recognizable structures including the Brooklyn bridge, railroad worldwide, and even the pyramids of Giza! Rosie the Riveter, a symbol for all females in trades during the great war, told women, "We can do it!" and so they did!
During WWII, there was a considerable need for all people, no matter their gender, race, or ideals, to come together and do things they had never done before. This sparked a revolution for women of all backgrounds to break free from the stigma around female-oriented occupations like nursing, caregiver, teacher, etc., and start working in factories and shipyards, taking on and leading trades labeled as male-dominated. This included manufacturing, construction, assembly, welding, electrical, riveting, and more! During WWII, the second largest group of working women, 2.3 million, was employed in manufacturing industries1. In the book A Mouthful of Rivets, Vi Kirstine Vrooman writes about when she decided to take action and become a riveter. She got a job building B-17s on an assembly line and shared just how exciting it was, saying, "The biggest thrill—I can't tell you—was when the B-17s rolled off the assembly line. You can't believe the feeling we had. We did it!"2
For 75 years, Technical Institute has been part of this movement by helping propel women into skilled trade industries. We take pride in the fact that since 1991 over 91,000 women have attended and graduated from Tech's skilled trade programs and gone on to fulfilling occupations like Auto Technician, CNC Machinist, Electrical Technician, Welder, and more. You can also become one of the great names in history like Emily Warren Roebling (construction of the Brooklyn bridge) or Lillian Moller Gilbreth (Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Make a difference in the world and prove that no matter your gender, you have what it takes to narrow the gap! Reach out to Tech today to join the over 250,000 women in the trade skills workforce3 and start your journey to a rewarding skill trades career. You CAN do it!
Citations
1 Employment of Women in War Production. July 1942, .
2 “Rosie the Riveter.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Jan. 2022, .
3 “Tradeswomen - California Organization for Women in the Trades.” Tradeswomen, Inc., 31 Jan. 2022,