BIKETOWN: Champions for a Diverse, Representative Workforce
Oregon Tradeswomen is grateful to BIKETOWN for their partnership and commitment to a diverse, representative workforce. We’re also thankful that they loaned us a small fleet of Biketown bikes for Oregon Tradeswomen staff to use at our annual Career Fair! The bikes were incredibly helpful to our staff and added quite a pop of color to the event!
Oregon Tradeswomen served on an advisory panel prior to Biketown’s launch in 2016, and since then, Biketown has employed five Oregon Tradeswomen pre-aprenticeship class graduates: Max Beyelia, Alex Styner, Cassandra Czubachowski, Anna Beck, and Heather Hogate.
Dorothy Mitchell, Biketown’s General Manager, was “forward thinking about Biketown staff, and from the ground up, built a vision for how the staff would look, how hiring would happen, and she was very thoughtful about who she worked with to connect with and hire employees”, explained Tom Rousculp, Marketing Manager for Biketown. “Dorothy focused on working with a few organizations, including Oregon Tradeswomen. She wanted to have a representative staff for the whole organization”.
Dorothy said, “Oregon Tradeswomen grads have exceeded our hopes and expectations from day one. OT grads come to us with the right skills and attitude to hit the ground quickly doing the hard work of keeping a bike share program running. They have been among our most dependable employees, and we value the diversity they add to our operation as we work to make bike share more equitable from the inside out.”
Alex and Max were promoted into leadership positions, at Biketown, and Max and Anna have been with Biketown since its launch in July of 2016. Max commented that: “Biketown has a primarily female leadership team and goes at great length to promote an equitable and diverse workforce. I could not speak more highly of their integrity as a partner to our community.”
Thank you again, Biketown for your incredible partnership! We applaud your work and the good you do for our community!
Fathers and Daughters: Rod and Melanie Belisle
Often times it is the son who follows in his father’s footsteps to a career in the trades, but the Belisle family is a bit different. Rod Belisle is the Executive Director at the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center in Portland, Oregon and it is his daughter Melanie who has found success in the trades as an electrician.
Rod’s story began in high school when he worked for his father who was a general contractor. After Rod graduated, he continued to work for his father, operating heavy machinery. It was on a job, excavating for an electrical company that belonged to his father’s friend, when his interest in becoming an electrician was ‘sparked’. Both Rod’s father and his father’s friend encouraged him to pursue a career as an electrician. The rest is history: Rod has worked at the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center for 19 years!
Rod’s daughter Melanie initially had no interest in doing what her father did until her mother encouraged her to visit Oregon Tradeswomen’s annual Career Fair. There, Melanie had the chance to speak with the now retired Executive Director of Oregon Tradeswomen, Connie Ashbrook, who talked Melanie into entering Oregon Tradeswomen’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC). Melanie was initially drawn to the sprinkler-fitter trade, but as TACC progressed, she found a new interest in the electrical trade.
Melanie’s plan to become an electrician actually surprised Rod, but he supported her decision 100%. To make sure she was serious about her career choice, Rod encouraged Melanie to work as a material handler as she awaited placement into the apprenticeship program. Because of her father’s high ranking in the organization, he made it clear that he would have to be completely separate from her at work to maintain professionalism and avoid any conflicts of interest.
In the five years Melanie has been part of IBEW Local 48, she has earned her own level of respect. She is now a journeyman wireman. She has had a good experience as a woman in the industry and was given her the chance to prove herself on her own merit.
Melanie values her connection with her father and likes having someone close to her who she can talk about work with and who understands what its like to be an electrician. Melanie also thinks its exciting to be following in her father’s footsteps all while breaking stereotypes of sons being the only ones to join their fathers in the trades.
Rod has always been aware of the need for more women in the trades and having Melanie pursue a career as an electrician just enhanced his dedication to supporting women to succeed in this male-dominated industry. His vision for the future of women in the industry is the expectation that any woman could apply for an apprenticeship and be treated exactly the same as any man. He would also like to see a social climate where it is not a surprising thing to see women working on a construction site. He also hopes the same for men who are interested in careers traditionally labeled as “women’s jobs”, such as nursing.
Melanie hopes to see more women in the trades, too, not only on the job site, but as supervisors, managers, inspectors, and other leadership positions. It is important to have all aspects of the industry reflecting the idea that women are fully competent and that trades careers are not just for men.
Rod is incredibly proud of Melanie for her hard work in establishing herself as an electrician and is glad that she chose to pursue it as a career. Her hard work and perseverance is apparent and Rod knows that his daughter has the right stuff to live her dream. He looks forward to the day when Melanie achieves her goal of becoming a foreman.
Rod sets a phenomenal example of how to be an ally and how to support a young woman to succeed in apprenticeship and a thrive in a career in the trades.
We wish Rod and all the other fathers a very Happy Fathers Day!
Oregon Tradeswomen and NAWIC Host Workshops for Girl Scouts!
On June 2, 2018, Oregon Tradeswomen was delighted to partner with the Portland National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) chapter to host a troupe of Girl Scouts in our classroom!
The Girl Scouts were invited to participate in two workshops focused on construction and building projects led by tradeswomen. In the morning, 9 Junior Girl Scouts took part in a gardening workshop and built planter boxes to be used as containers for their very own zen gardens they designed themselves. A group of 3 Senior Girl Scouts collaborated in a “Room Makeover” workshop in the afternoon. All the Girl Scouts had the opportunity to gain experience using hand and power tools as well as measuring, cutting, and assembling the pieces.
The goal of these workshops was to expose young women to the construction trades by having them learn how to use construction equipment, empowering them to use their hands to build functional items, and giving them the chance to talk to and learn from women who work in the building trades. Many women, old and young, have the impression that there is no place for them in construction. Oregon Tradeswomen actively works to change those perceptions and show women and girls that these opportunities are indeed open to them and that building is fun, rewarding, and that they can be successful!
The Girl Scouts had such a great time during these workshops that the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Washington are looking in to putting these workshops into the Girl Scout Program Guide for Fall/Winter 2018/19!
NIETC Is Hosting Apprenticeship Information Sessions!
Our friends at the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center (NIETC) are committed to offering education and providing resources to help more students and career seekers access careers in the skilled trades through registered apprenticeship!
This year, they are organizing four informational panels which will provide a general overview of apprenticeship and an open discussion with Apprenticeship Coordinators from specific trades. Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with the Apprenticeship Coordinators and network with others at the event.
The dates for the Informational Panel for the Union Building Trades Apprenticeship Programs are as follows:
September 7, 2018
9:30 – 11:00am
Portland Sheet Metal Institute
2379 NE 178th Ave
Portland, OR 97230
Pre-registration is not required!
December 3, 2018
Two identical sessions:
Career Technical Education Center
3501 Portland Rd NE
Salem, OR 97301
Pre-registration for the general public is required unless you are a CTEC student or have arranged to attend through your Salem-Keizer school.
Oregon Tradeswomen’s 2018 Career Fair Wrap-Up
On May 18th and 19th, Oregon Tradeswomen held our 26th Annual Career Fair and it was one of our best years ever! This enormously impactful event, graciously hosted once again by the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center, featured more than 100 companies and organizations representing the trades and other non-traditional career paths for women, and offered insights into the possibilities of a future in those careers to more than 2,300 students and adult career seekers.
To make the Career Fair more accessible and easier to navigate, Oregon Tradeswomen worked with event app developer Crowd Compass to create our very own application for the event. The application included an interactive map, a list of exhibitors, activity schedules, and a social feed for attendees to share about their experiences at Fair throughout the day.
Building birdhouses with Skanska!
Career Fair attendees were met with unique opportunities to not only talk to employers at exhibit tables, but also participate in hands-on activities and workshops. From using an excavator to pick up a tire with the Operating Engineers Local 701, to building a birdhouse with Skanska, the experiences offered at Oregon Tradeswomen’s Career Fair visibly stirred excitement about the construction trades among the participants.
Melinda of the IUOE Local 701 teaching a young woman how to use an excavator!
The most raucous enthusiasm came from the middle and high school girls who attended the Career Fair on Friday May 18th, School Girls’ Day. With record attendance, 75 schools came from as far south as Roseburg and as far north as Castle Rock bringing more than 1,300 students! Many of these young women had never imagined a future in the trades for themselves, but after participating in workshops and talking to tradeswomen, they began to see that their interests aligned with some of the careers introduced to them at the Career Fair. The school girls were so moved by their experiences that we heard back from several schools. A teacher from Madras said,
“We’ve been taking students for the past 12+ years and it gets better each year.”
Even the whole Pendleton School District wrote back saying,
“[We] attended the recent Career Fair for the first time ever and had an absolutely amazing time. We brought 30+ middle school and high school students who positively glowed with excitement about the experience on the ride home and are already looking forward to next year. We loved the wide range of exhibits and activities and the staff and exhibitors were so inspiring.”
School Girls Day at Oregon Tradeswomen’s 26th Annual Career Fair!
Usually, Friday’s School Girls’ Day outshines the Saturday crowd, but this year Saturday was nearly as busy as Friday with more than 1,000 people flowing in and out of the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center to participate in hands-on activities and speak with representatives at their exhibit booths! A few of the students from Friday returned to the Career Fair on Saturday with their friends and families to show them the workshops and careers that sparked a genuine interest!
One of the crowd favorite, and overall inspirational elements of Oregon Tradeswomen’s annual Career Fair was the Tradeswomen Fashion Show where real women working in the trades and other nontraditional careers had their moment on stage and in the spotlight, to talk about what their job entails, how they came to be tradeswomen, and why they love the work they do.
Fashion Show participants at Oregon Tradeswomen’s 26th Annual Career Fair!
Oregon Tradeswomen annual Career Fair is important because it is a place where women and girls can see other women who are successful in an industry where you don’t see very women. It was truly inspiring to see how many women of all ages discover that they, too, can pursue these careers. It all goes back to our favorite adage, “If you can see it, you can be it!”
Oregon & SW Washington Roofers & Waterproofers Feature Women Roofers in New Website!
Our friends at the Oregon & SW Washington Roofers and Waterproofers launched a new website and we are excited to highlight their new “Women in Roofing” page! The importance of visibility for women in the trades is paramount, so we applaud the Roofers and Waterproofers for giving the women in their trade a platform to speak about their experiences.
With the launch of their new site, the Roofers and Waterproofers feature an interview with Rosa Rivera, an apprentice roofer, on the “Women in Roofing” page. She answers questions about the challenges she has faced during her apprenticeship, how she handles hard situations, and if she has a support network that she can go to when she needs help.
We also want to thank the Roofers and Waterproofers for spreading the word about our upcoming 2018 Career Fair! Be sure to stop by their space and say hello to their apprentices and graduates and learn more about what it is like being a roofer or waterproofer!
Our Students Help Build Four New Tiny Homes in Dignity Village
On April 4th, four new tiny homes were unveiled at Dignity Village, one of Portland’s oldest city-recognized camps which is a membership-based community providing shelter to more than 50 people. Many of the structures are more than 15 years old and have problems with mold, leaks, and pests. To help improve the situation, a few local nonprofits, including Oregon Tradeswomen and The ReBuilding Center, came together to build better homes for the camp.
Not only does this project benefit the community, but it gives our students the invaluable opportunity to get hands-on construction experience. This is incredibly important to our Training Director, Amy James Neel:
“Building small structures provides students with a unique opportunity to touch multiple aspects of residential construction on a condensed timeline. The building skills they develop during class prepares them to integrate into professional trades jobs where they will make a living wage. The partnership between the ReBuilding Center and Oregon Tradeswomen allows our students to build safe structures for our community while also building their own confidence that they belong in the skilled trades.”
We are beaming with pride for our students, both for their exemplary work and for this important contribution to our community!
Oregon Tradeswomen “We’ve BEEN Doing It” At AAUW Convention
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) held a convention on the weekend of the 20th of April in Hillsboro, OR where many women gathered for meetings, workshops, and networking around the topics of equity, empowerment, and education of women. Oregon Tradeswomen’s Construction Training Director, Amy James Neel, had the honor of leading a workshop at the event on Saturday called “We’ve BEEN Doing It!”
Amy discovered carpentry by accident, but the trades are her ideal career! She didn’t even know that the trades were an option for her, as representations of tradeswomen are not common. This put Amy on a mission to introduce women and girls to the possibilities of a career in the trades. This path eventually led her to Oregon Tradeswomen where’s she’s been for the last decade at first as a contract instructor, and now as our Training Director!
The workshop Amy led was focused on Oregon Tradeswomen, how our Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class is structured, how it impacts the women who seek our services, and our long-lasting impact on families, on our community, and on the industry – literally changing the face of construction. So many people were interested in attending this workshop that it filled to capacity and a number of people had to be turned away at the door. We are so grateful people are interested in the work we do and want to learn more about how they can support our mission.
DJC Launches Women of Vision Magazine
Every year, the Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC) honors exemplary Women of Vision who, through their leadership, hard work, and perseverance, are shaping our built environment with their leadership, mentoring efforts, community involvement and the promotion of industry diversity.
The DJC Honors a new group of such women each year at the “Women of Vision Awards Luncheon. While this is an important annual event, Daily Journal of Commerce Editor, Stephanie Basalyga, thought that these influential women deserved more than a single event:
“We at the Daily Journal of Commerce decided it was time to create Women of Vision magazine. Named after the awards program the DJC holds each fall, this new quarterly publication will tell the stories of women who are building our city, our state and our region.”
The DJC’s new publication will share stories about women of the past who shaped the world to be as how we know it, as well as the women of the present who are helping direct the future of the construction industry.
The inaugural edition of Women of Vision features women such as Nina Allen, a construction inspector for the Portland International Airport, and Lisa Patterson, recipient of the Mark O. Hatfield Architectural Award.
Do you know of a woman who deserves to be acknowledged for her dedication to the industry? Women of Vision magazine encourages introductions and submissions. Send email to: wovmagazine@djcoregon.com.
You may read their first issue online here!
PCC Honors Oregon Tradeswomen as “Employer Partners of the Year”
On April 11, 2018, nearly 100 people representing Portland Community College‘s (PCC) key employer partners gathered at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for an early morning breakfast hosted by PCC. Three organizations were recognized as PCC’s Employer Partners of the Year: one small business (Blessing Landscapes), one large business (Intel Corporation), and one non-profit (Oregon Tradeswomen).
Marc Goldberg, associate vice president of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at PCC, stated:
“For PCC to effectively prepare its students for employment opportunities and careers in an ever-changing work environment, we need strong partnerships with local employers… The event was simply a means to thank our partners, whose input, support and guidance enables PCC to educate a skilled workforce — and this is what drives Oregon’s economy. PCC’s partnership with a variety of organizations, in many and varied configurations, enables the college to be a critical catalyst for the region’s economic success. All of us can stand to benefit from a thriving economy, and for that, we want to thank our partners.”
PCC staff spent a year and a half of planning and deliberation when considering which partners had the most impact on PCC students, graduates, and the communities to which they belong. Oregon Tradeswomen was selected in recognition of our partnership with PCC’s Swan Island Trades Center which offers programs in welding, machine manufacturing technology, and career pathways. Additionally, Oregon Tradeswomen’s Industrial Fabrication track (formerly known as “Women in Metals & Manufacturing” program) brings many women to PCC to advance their education in metal disciplines. Oregon Tradeswomen’s commitment to advancing equity in the trades has also influenced PCC’s partnership with Vigor and the Maritime Welding program where women are currently 50 percent of the students!
Oregon Tradeswomen staff: Abby Bandurraga, Pathways Program Manager (left) and Max Beyelia, Job Developer (right)
Amy James Neel, Oregon Tradeswomen’s Training Director, observed, “Our students tend to go off into a lot of different construction industries, some of which we are really well connected with, and some of which PCC helps us gain even better access to those connections. PCC has been able to bridge that divide for our pre-apprenticeship program, which prepares them for these entry-level jobs.”
Oregon Tradeswomen extends our deepest gratitude and appreciation to Portland Community College not only for this honor, but for being truly outstanding community partners!
Update 5/9/18: You can view PCC’s video about Oregon Tradeswomen here!