There aren’t many women in the field of electrical construction, though there has been some outreach to attract new prospects. Training programs, high-school advisors, and contractors alike are seeking to bring diversity to the construction and electrical industry, which will benefit women to a traditionally male workforce.
The skilled labor shortage is one reason why women are being recruited for these typically manly professions. The industry will gain momentum by adding women to its roster. The strategies used by businesses and recruiters vary greatly.
Claudia Repman, manager of admin operations for the Northwest Line JATC in Vancouver, Washington, said, “We do a variety of trade and career fairs with colleges and high schools.” Often, she noted, diversity efforts are spearheaded by the contractors themselves.
Since roughly 2000, the training program for line work includes about five women for every 100 applicants. Because line workers typically cover territory in multiple states, experts hypothesize that travel, along with other perceived challenges, might keep women away from the industry.
Most young adults who have recently graduated from high school typically have not worked with electrical components. Men and women are usually equally inexperienced in their younger years. The person’s background is important, and many women aren’t even told that working in the electrical field is an option.
Specific regional programs provide specialized training to women, such as West Virginia Women Work in Morgantown, W. VA. Their focuses include nontraditional employment, economic self-sufficiency, and poverty. The program has been around for 20 years, and the electrical portion consists of wiring receptacles, light switches, GFCIs, and becoming familiar with typical electrician tools.
The program also simulates direct onsite experience as accurately as possible. The students work eight-hour shifts twice a week while training for the hands-on portion. Their lunch break is 30 minutes; otherwise, they are on their feet lifting heavy items outside. The other two days consist of classroom training, tours, resume building, and applying to jobs.
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Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.