What were you doing before joining WV Women Work’s Step Up for Women Construction class?
I was a retail manager working at the local mall and lost my job. They fired me when I was 35-weeks pregnant because I was reluctant to climb a 12-foot ladder to change marketing notices and preferred to have a coworker change it—at least while I was carrying a child. I had never been fired, so it was a big blow to my ego.
While I was unemployed, a lady asked if I had heard of WV Women Work’s Step Up for Women Construction program. She asked if I was handy, and I told her I like to restore furniture if that counts but would be interested in learning more. She explained what the program was, and I got really excited about it.
So, I applied and interviewed with WV Women Work’s Southern Regional Coordinator Nichole Stephenson and was accepted into Step Up. I went through the program and started asking myself if I could work in construction for the rest of my life. I wasn’t what you’d call athletic, even in my younger years, and I was living in a much larger body then. Some of the work can be physically intense, especially when you’re struggling with your weight, and I remember feeling nervous in class because we had to go on the roof and stuff like that. Eventually, I decided to work in electrical because I felt most comfortable with it.
What was your first construction job after completing Step Up for Women Construction classes?
I joined Tradesmen International once I had my apprentice license and started my first electrician job as a temp for Bryan Electric. That team was amazing and taught me so much, and they never treated me with anything less than respect. My coworkers decided I should be the material handler so I could quickly learn the names and sizes of the things we used on the job site. Some of those guys from that job still check on me today and continue to cheer me on when I share things about my life on social media. Not everyone is lucky enough to have worked with such a great group of people.
There were a couple of times I worried they would let me go because the company was downsizing other temps, but they wanted me as a permanent fixture on their team. I was asked to go on the road with them after the Kroger job was finished, but I declined because I had a small child at home. They respected my decision to be a present mother for my daughter rather than go on the road.
Luckily, this decision resulted in a second chance at joining the union. I had already applied to the union after I completed Step Up for Women classes but was put on a waiting list.
Speaking of the union, you recently became an IBEW member. Can you tell me about your experience?
My Step Up classmate Chandra was accepted into the IBEW, and I had applied at the same time but wasn’t accepted. I was still excited for her though, because I really wanted at least one of us to make it.
I found other electrician jobs and met many different contractors, one of whom was a finisher who knew someone in union management. The finisher said he was surprised the union didn’t hire me as he thought I was clearly journeyman material. Thanks to his support, I was invited to reapply.
Soon afterward, I was called to interview for the union and was offered a job. The new role came with a pay cut. However, the guy who offered the position assured me that the small sacrifice would pay off, and he was right. I quickly went from starting as a UA in July 2021 to being sworn into the IBEW the following September, and I have been with the union since.
Electrician is still considered a nontraditional job for women. Can you tell me about your experience as a woman working in the trades?
I have only dealt with one person who didn’t like the idea of women working in the trades, and I only had to deal with him for a very short time. He said one of his daughters wanted to be a mason, which I thought was awesome! He said he didn’t want that life for his daughter, but I said, “You should tell her she’s capable of anything, and she is the only one who gets to choose what’s right for her life. You should be empowering her and making her feel like she is capable.”
My dad was a civil engineer and did a lot of electrical work throughout his career. When I told him I was enrolled in the Step Up for Women Construction program, he and I had a long conversation—you might even call it a debate—about my capabilities. At the time, my health wasn’t the best, and I had just undergone a sleeve gastrectomy surgery. My dad said to me, “You need to decide which trade fits where you want to be in the future, not what fits where you are right now. Choose what is right for your personality and what gives you a sense of drive.” My dad was awesome and supportive from day one. Thank God I had him. I feel like everybody deserves to have their parents be their cheerleaders.
What advice would you give another woman who wants to pursue a career in the trades?
Trust yourself and believe in your capabilities. One thing I love about this job is that I’ll never stop learning, and it gives me a feeling of confidence to do so many new things. I know I can rewire an entire house if I need to do it, and I can troubleshoot now. Learning new skills can make you feel powerful.
Also, you do not need a college degree to be successful. You can learn a trade and build a career without sinking a ton of money into a degree. An apprenticeship is a great alternative to that.
What do you like about being a union member?
I like that they’ve boosted the pay. I started at $15.26 per hour, and now the starting hourly rate is above $20. Today, I’m making $33 per hour. The IBEW does a great job negotiating for their people, and they have an amazing benefits package. Last year, I found out I had cancer and went through radiation and chemotherapy. My weekly lab work alone was over $5,000, and I didn’t have to pay for any of it. Also, my husband and I have six kids, so my health insurance covers well-child visits and things like that. Now, my benefits won’t cover everything on dental visits as I pay 20-percent for those services, but that’s still a huge discount. I also have a benefits card that can be used for things like prescriptions or a down payment when a hospital requires you to cover a medical expense upfront.
Also, the IBEW made me feel accepted. I thought it would be difficult to feel confident in my role there, but I’ve never really felt uncomfortable at work. I was surprised to find they went out of their way to make me feel like I mattered. Regardless of who you are or where you came from, they make sure you get the same quality of education as everyone else, and they make it a priority to invest in their employees. Everyone is happy to walk you through new concepts to make sure you really learn it. It really is like a brotherhood or a family.
What do you have planned next for your career?
I am planning to be a teacher. The IBEW is shortening its five-year class to make it closer to a four-year program, so I’ll be part of the new change.
Also, I plan to stay involved with WV Women Work’s Step Up for Women Construction classes. I told Regional Coordinator Nichole Stephenson that I’d be happy to teach the electrical portion of the program at the Dunbar location. We had talked about it in the past, but I wanted to wait until I had my journeyman license.
Is there anything else you want to share with our readers?
Every human is capable of more than they realize, and the Step Up program helps women see that in themselves. It’s an opportunity for women to discover they don’t need to shrink themselves to fit into a box. I met some powerful women through Step Up—like my classmates Allison Dempsey, who became an electrician for Solar Holler, or Chandra, who also joined the IBEW. Another former classmate, Amber Legg, started working on a barge for Marathon, and she has successfully worked her way up within the company to become an engineer.
I also see powerful women in more traditional jobs like nurses or teachers, and while those jobs are important, women should know those are not the only options available to them. Not every woman is meant for those jobs, and yet many of us are convinced those traditional roles are the only options—like we have been put in a box. It is important to me that other women know they don’t have to stay in the box. They do anything they want to do.
