Building a Career Path in the Construction Trades Part One: Apprenticeships and Construction Trade Skills for Women
Apprenticeships in skilled trades provide a structured pathway to secure and rewarding careers, with many opportunities for women to build a successful future. Trade unions offer specialized apprenticeship programs designed to meet the specific demands of their industry. These apprenticeship programs combine hands-on training with classroom learning, so that participants develop essential construction trade skills while earning competitive wages. This makes apprenticeships that teach construction trade skills for women an outstanding choice for women who need income while starting a new career in construction.
Unions – a source for apprenticeships that teach construction trade skills for women
In the construction sector, unions like the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) represent a wide array of skilled trades such as electricians, carpenters, plumbers, laborers, and sheet metal workers. According to their website, NABTU “is composed of fourteen national and international unions and over 330 provincial, state and local building and construction trades councils.”
NABTU includes unions such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), and the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA). Each of these unions provides in-depth apprenticeship programs that guide apprentices through technical education while offering on-the-job training. The diverse trades represented by NABTU give apprentices the opportunity to find and specialize in a field that aligns with their skills and interests, whether that’s in electrical work, pipefitting, construction labor, masonry or trade.
Other unions, like the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), through their group Sisters in the Brotherhood, not only provide educational resources but also encourage women to pursue leadership roles within their trades. With support like this from unions, women in the trades have advanced into positions including foreman/forewoman, project manager, and become business owners – demonstrating how skilled tradeswomen are reshaping the industry.
Non-union options for apprenticeships that teach construction trade skills for women
The Accreditation for Construction Education (ACCE) offers a range of programs tailored for construction-related professions. In ACCE-certified programs apprentices receive high-quality training that meets industry standards. Whether in building, roadwork, or civil engineering, apprentices leave the program equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in these dynamic fields. As with apprenticeships with unions, accredited programs foster hands on learning but also offer formal instruction. When an apprentice successfully completes one of these programs they often earn a degree or certification.
In many states, Pennsylvania, for instance, organizations like the Pennsylvania Apprentice Coordinators Association create training programs (even training centers) in collaboration with unions and contract associations that connect to people who want to apprentice in a trade.
There are also apprenticeship programs designed for specific groups of people, like military veterans.
The good news for about apprenticeships and women in the construction trade
Many apprenticeship programs, including those for electricians, carpenters, and laborers, now have an increasing number of women participants, breaking barriers in fields where they have been traditionally underrepresented. According to the Women’s Institute for Policy Research, in 2023, there were 10,257 women apprentices, which was 4.7 percent of all active construction apprentices. While that’s still a low percentage, it’s a 55.5 percent growth since 2018.
The increasing representation of women in the trades is not just a matter of breaking stereotypes; it’s also about creating a more inclusive, diverse, and skilled workforce. Women who pursue apprenticeships in these fields are often able to secure long-term, well-paying jobs with opportunities to climb the career ladder. With a solid foundation in both technical and leadership skills, many women can progress into supervisory and managerial roles, further contributing to the growth and evolution of the skilled trades sector.
NAWIC provides support, networking and mentorship, leadership training and educational opportunities for more than 6,000 members in 120 chapters across the U.S. Our Tradeswomen Committee is an excellent resource to learn more about construction trade skills for women. Want to know more? Contact a chapter near you. Or visit our website at NAWIC.org.
