Did You Know? Women in the Trades
Did You Know? Women in the Trades
While traditionally jobs in “the trades”—such as plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians—have been done by men, that is slowly changing and opening up new career possibilities for women.
There are many sources of data with differing statistics on exactly how many women are currently working as electricians, but they all agree the number is below 10% as of 2022. However, there is good news in the mix: Electrical Contractor Magazine reported that, “In August 2022, the number of women construction workers reached an all-time high of 14% of the entire industry. A November 2022 analysis by The Washington Post says that the number of women employed as construction workers has been on the rise since 2016.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), only 2.2% of electricians are women, but Zippia, a job search website, stated that as of March 2022, “5.6% of electricians are female in the United States.” Their data also showed that the number of female electricians has slowly increased from 262 in 2010 to 348 in 2019.
This could be attributed to the fact that many businesses have expanded their marketing and recruiting efforts to include women, and there continues to be demand for skilled trade workers. In the 1940s, the U.S. government used propaganda (think: “Rosie the Riveter”) to draw women into trades jobs typically filled by men.
An Example of Female Electrician Demand
The Tulsa Welding School, for example, expects the demand for electricians to grow by 14% in the U.S., and women entering the trades can fill those much-needed openings for skilled workers. There is also a lot of room for advancement in these industries. Plus, starting out as an apprentice and an electrician can lead to promotions to managerial positions.
Trade work is also perfect for a mid-career move. Fifty-three percent of skilled trade workers in the U.S. are 45 years or older, reports the Tulsa Welding School. It’s also more cost-effective. You can become a skilled tradeswoman in half the time at half the cost (compared to getting a bachelor’s degree).
There may be a lack of women electricians, but the presence of women is pronounced throughout the electrical service industry. At Mister Sparky, women occupy roles as owners, general managers, operations managers, electricians, technicians, customer service representatives, accountants, and systems directors, to name a few.
Women may be more inclined to get into the action, but it’s not without its challenges. Trades work is still very much considered “men’s work.” But with the right team and positive support, a woman can thrive in any position.
See Women Electricians in Action
Women at Mister Sparky are featured in this video to show that this is a career path being enjoyed by females.
“When I went for the interview, it wasn’t super intimidating,” says Madisyn Thomas, a maintenance technician, in the video. “Like everyone was super personal but it was very professional at the same time. Just the overall culture of everybody and the friendliness, respectfulness, really drew me in.”
Johneida Cano, Lead Installer, adds, “For me personally, I think it feels like the opportunities are endless.”
With the proper training and support, women are the key to filling the gap in qualified trade professionals—and electricians. Women occupy every type of position at Mister Sparky. If you are interested in a career in the trades, visit the careers page at https://mister-sparky-careers.careerplug.com/jobs/.
For additional, helpful resources, visit:
https://www.communityservicesagency.org/women-in-the-trades.html
https://explorethetrades.org/women-in-the-trades/