Career Path
OTI Alumnae Spotlight: Meet Brooklyn Payne
“OTI gave me the tools, but I did the work!” – Brooklyn Payne
Brooklyn, third from the left, at the 2016 annual OTI Women in Trades Career Fair
Brooklyn grew up in Spokane, Washington. She has a fantastic adventurous spirit that led her to travel around the United States after high school as well as living in Costa Rica for an extended amount of time. After her travels, she moved to Portland to live near her mother and sister who had relocated to the Rose City while she while she was traveling.
Before starting Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.’s (OTI) Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC), Brooklyn spent 12 years working as a bartender without benefits like health insurance that are a common perk in other careers. The highest hourly wage she made in the food and beverage industry was $9.75 an hour. Brooklyn also took college courses and accrued considerable student debt, but was unable to find the hands-on education she craved.
As Brooklyn entered into her 30’s she wanted a change: she recognized that bartending was a dead end for her and would not provide her with the means to retire some day. She heard about OTI from a friend who had also gone through the TACC program, and kept it in her mind. One day in 2014, she made the decision to commit to her future and officially enrolled in OTI’s pre-apprenticeship training program – she was 34 years old.
“OTI was pivotal for me, and has everything to do with where I am today.”
Just two years later, Brooklyn is now working for Hoffman Structures Inc. as an apprentice carpenter on an exciting new project for Oregon Health and Sciences University. Brooklyn is 80% through her apprenticeship and is currently making $29.75 per hour! She feels great leaving work every day knowing that she is able to take care of herself and that she earned it with hard work and dedication. When asked how OTI helped her get where she is today, she said, “OTI was pivotal for me, and has everything to do with where I am today.” OTI gave her tangible skills, unconditional support, and the confidence to find a career in a field she would not have considered otherwise. But, Brooklyn also recognizes that her own internal drive and motivation to invest in her future played an important role in where she is today: “OTI gave me the tools, but I did the work!”.
“OTI gave me the tools, but I did the work!”.
When asked what advice she would give to other women considering a career in the trades, she enthusiastically replied, “You can do it! It is possible!” She also wisely advised women to keep in mind that although female workers in the trades are still relatively uncommon, any doubts that might be experienced about entering this industry are no different from doubts that would be felt in pursuing any career or career transition. She loves being a woman on the construction site, and has found a sisterhood of support though the local carpenters union.
Future goals for Brooklyn include journeying out as a carpenter, becoming a foreman, and eventually working her way up to superintendent and she has unwavering confidence in her abilities to achieve these goals.
You’re Invited to OTI’s Fall 2016 TACC Graduation!
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. cordially invites you to attend the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduation and celebrate our most recent cohort of pre-apprenticeship graduates!
Date:
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Time:
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Location:
PCC Metro Workforce Training Center
The Auditorium
5600 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland OR 97218
Click for the street address on Google Maps
Light appetizers & cake will be served
Fall 2016 Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduates
Jay Broady
Lyssa Brosig
Chelsey Callaghan
Sabrina Carter
Dana Dee
Jinnie Freeman
Marcie Harris
Niki J Johnson
Alana Kansaku-Sarmiento
Kalise Kenyon
Tiffany Latham
Michelle Lifvendahl
Torre McGee
Ashley Magnus
Sasha Melendez
Shannon Olsen-Horchy
Liv Pollock
Linda Salholm
Becca Schulze
Shanti Speer
I.O. Stiles
Ginsy Stone
Brittany West
Funding for our program is provided by:
Autzen Foundation, Bank of America, Collins Foundation, Construction Apprenticeship & Workforce Solutions, Inc. (CAWS), DeArmond Public Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, IBEW Local 48, Joseph Weston Foundation, Multnomah County, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Department of Transportation, Pacific Power Foundation, Peterson Foundation, Portland Development Commission’s Economic Opportunity Program, Portland Parks and Recreation, Samuel Johnson Foundation, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, The TJX Foundation, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, The Portland Water Bureau and Hoffman Construction through the Community Benefit Agreement, Women’s Bureau–U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Foundation of Oregon, Worksystems, Inc., industry donations, and individual tradeswomen and supporters. Thank you!!
Guest Blog: The Growing Force of Women Contractors in Construction
The Growing Force of Women Contractors in Construction
By Guest Blogger Kaitlin Krull
While our country is making extraordinary strides towards gender equality in the workplace, there are several job sectors in which women are historically regarded as inferior to men. Construction is seen as a man’s domain—forcing women to struggle to land jobs and succeed as contractors and builders. But we at Home Improvement Leads are thankful that times are changing as the battle for equality continues. More and more women are breaking into the male dominated construction world and are thereby changing the way we think of trades. Here are just a few of the ways that women are making their mark on construction.
Solar
As of 2013, 18.74% of the U.S. solar workforce was made up of women. Although this figure is far higher than the national average for construction in general (the National Association of Women in Construction and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate that as of 2015 only 9.3% of all workers in the construction industry are women) and women make up the highest percentage of minority employment for solar, one could argue that there is a long way to go before achieving total gender equality here. However, organizations such as Women in Solar Energy (WISE) strive to close this gap through networking, funding, advocacy, and the common goal of equality in the solar energy industry.
HVAC
The highly technical field of HVAC has garnered significant support for women and minority workers in recent years. Women in HVACR, a national organization for women in the HVAC industry, has been around for over 12 years and offers opportunities for women to network and further their industrial education through forums, classes, and annual conferences.
Roofing
Like its HVAC counterpart, National Women in Roofing is a national organization supporting women in the U.S. roofing industry through social media networking and further education. NWIR is currently steadily growing in membership and, with sponsorship and support, hopes to continue the growing trend of women in roofing for years to come. Further information about women roofing contractors can be found at this webinar with the founder of NWIR.
Windows
Window installers and glaziers have one of the most difficult and dangerous construction jobs in the U.S. today. Although the stress and risk levels for window contractors are relatively high, this industry remains number nine on the list of best construction jobs. Perhaps this is why more women are being drawn to the profession now than ever before. The success of women like Nicole Harris, the current President and CEO of the National Glass Association, demonstrates that women can and should be at the forefront of the window industry.
Conclusion: Traditional homemaker vs Modern home-maker?
The construction industry is booming, and women are making themselves known in fields across the sector. National bodies for solar, HVAC, roofing, and glaziers provide communication and education opportunities for women contractors all over the country, ensuring they get the tools and support they need to succeed in a male dominated field.
Women contractors throughout the country are acting as pioneers in the construction industry —including local PDX business owners like Holly Huntley at Environs and Megan at Eight Penny Nail. If these positive trends continue, women will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the construction world and pave the way to an unified and equal future workplace.
Narrowing the Wage Gap
New Website and Report Explores How Improving Women’s Access to Middle-Skill Jobs Can Narrow the Wage Gap while Filling a Skills Gap in Growing Sectors
Studies show that half of the gender wage gap is due to women working in different occupations and sectors than men. Improving women’s access to good middle-skill jobs can help close the wage gap and improve women’s economic security.
The new Pathways to Equity Initiative from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows careers that can improve women’s economic standing and meet employers’ demands for skilled workers. IWPR launched a new interactive website, womenandgoodjobs.org, which helps users identify pools of skilled women workers who could be tapped to fill shortages, ensuring that the economy benefits from the talent of its whole workforce. Read the Initiative’s research findings and explore the site at womenandgoodjobs.org.
Narrowing the Gender Wage Gap – New Report
New Website and Report Explores How Improving Women’s Access to Middle-Skill Jobs Can Narrow the Wage Gap while Filling a Skills Gap in Growing Sectors
Studies show that half of the gender wage gap is due to women working in different occupations and sectors than men. As such, improving women’s access to good middle-skill jobs can help close the wage gap and improve women’s economic security.
The new Pathways to Equity Initiative from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) shows careers that can improve women’s economic standing and meet employers’ demands for skilled workers. IWPR launched a new interactive website, womenandgoodjobs.org, which helps users identify pools of skilled women workers who could be tapped to fill shortages, ensuring that the economy benefits from the talent of its whole workforce.
Read the Initiative’s research findings and explore the site at womenandgoodjobs.org.
Introducing the Western Resources Center for Women in Apprenticeship
Along with our partners Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Employment for Women (ANEW, based in Washington), and Oakland, California-based Tradeswomen, Inc., we are delighted to announce the launch of the new Western Resources Center for Women in Apprenticeship. The unveiling of our jointly developed technical assistance website marks the conclusion of two years’ efforts to create online resources for industry stakeholders and tradeswomen under the federal Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) program.
The Western Resources Center (WRC) was created to serve three primary audiences in the Western US: 1) apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship program training providers, 2) women and girls interested in trades careers, and 3) current tradeswomen and female apprentices.
Resources for Training Providers:
- Guides and templates for improving and expanding outreach to and recruitment of women to trades careers
- Retention resources to help training providers support women’s long term success in apprenticeship
- Free downloadable pre-apprenticeship curriculum based on Oregon Tradeswomen’s successful Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class
- Creative Commons library of high quality, free images of real tradeswomen for use in recruitment materials
- Data collection guides and tracking plans
Information for Women & Girls Interested in Trades Careers:
- Guide to types of skilled trade careers
- A video gallery for women and girls to learn directly from tradeswomen what various trades careers entail
- An interactive map demonstrating where women can learn more about apprenticeship in each of the 13 Western states
- Links to tradeswomen’s organizations and social media communities
- A Know-Your-Rights guide to tradeswomen’s legal rights on the job and in apprenticeship
- Links to tradeswomen’s communities and advocacy organizations
- Information about the annual Women Build Nations Conference and other opportunities for tradeswomen
We’re proud to officially debut this work and hope it will be as useful to our community as it was rewarding to create. We welcome your feedback, constructive criticism, contributions, and most of all we welcome your help sharing this work with your friends and colleagues. Please help us get the word out about these resources. Bring some printouts to a meeting, share the page on Facebook, or send an email to your colleagues.
Thanks for supporting women in apprenticeship and we hope to hear from you about the new resources!
Aisha Winters Awarded the Live Your Dream Scholarship!
After Aish
a Winters graduated from OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC) in the summer of 2015, she was determined to start into an official apprenticeship. She was out of work for a few months, but had some money in savings to help make ends meet while she pursued her goal of apprenticeship.
OTI Career Counselor, April Robbins, connected Aisha to Marianne Carley at the Area 1 JATC in Clackamas – an open shop school offering apprenticeship training in plumbing, sign making, painting, and the electrical trade. Marianne was happy to meet Aisha and connected her for a for job shadowing opportunity at Mr. Rooter. During her very first ride along, Aisha knew she liked the opportunity, and was thrilled when they asked her if she was interested in getting hiring on! It was only a couple of weeks later and she was accepted into the plumber’s apprenticeship!
As excited as Aisha was for the opportunity, she was also feeling nervous about the financial obligation. She didn’t realize in the beginning that she would be responsible for paying her own tuition. She had used most of her savings over the summer, and she also needed money to pay for daycare for her child.
Compounding the situation, Aisha had been on the Oregon health plan so that her daughters would have health insurance, but she cancelled the insurance after she was hired by Mr. Rooter, only to learn that there was a trial period before she would be eligible to receive her new health insurance benefits. Like many Oregon renters, her rent went up. And further, she incurred some transportation issues when her truck started having some mechanical issues. It was a huge financial outlay for Aisha when she was just in the beginning of her new career. She was scared for a while, but was able to borrow some money from family to get her through this stressful time.
Not too long after getting over these initial hurdles, a girlfriend contacted her through Facebook to let her know about the Soroptimist “Live Your Dream Awards”. Aisha met all 15 qualifications to apply, but she was a bit intimidated by the process.
She didn’t let her fear stop her though, and wrote amazing letter to apply for the $1,000 grant. Three people wrote letters of reference for her, including the owner of Mr. Rooter
A short time later, foundation member Pam Banning with Soroptimist International of Lake Oswego/West Linn called her to let her know she would be awarded with a $1,000 check on March 8, 2016 which was also International Women’s Day.
Because Aisha was chosen as the first place winner, her application will go to the regional level where she will be considered for a $5,000 scholarship. If she were to win the regional competition, then she has the potential to win a national prize of $10,000.
All of us at OTI are so incredibly proud of Aisha for all she has accomplished and will be crossing our fingers that she goes on to win these additional scholarship prizes.
Way to go, Aisha!
Oregon AFL-CIO’s Labor Candidate School: Jen Netherwood
Jen receives her certification for successfully completing Labor Candidate School
The incredible Jen Netherwood is at it again! On Saturday March 12, 2016 she graduated from the Oregon AFL-CIO’s Labor Candidate School(OLCS). The goal of OLCS is to increase the representation of union members in elected office in Oregon who will pass policies that uplift and support the middle class. The commitment to this program includes several months of training on how to run a successful campaign and fundraising for their own tuition! This does not mean the participant can just fund their own tuition, they are required to go out into their communities and raise the money to participate.
Jen began her journey in advocacy by first standing up for women’s rights to be in non-traditional environments and workplaces through coaching women’s soccer and teaching OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class. In 2014, Jen attended Construction Equity Day with students from OTI, Constructing Hope, and Portland Youth Builders. It was there in Salem when she realized she could create relationships with her legislators. This started a long process of Jen fighting for a pre-apprenticeship program at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
OTI is very proud and honored to be affiliated with this incredible woman. Please join us in congratulating her on her hard work and look forward to her run for office. One day, she may be our governor! (All of the graduates had to give a speech as if they were currently running for office and Jen chose governor.)
Congress Passes Extension on WANTO Training Funds!
Senator Jeff Merkley at the 2012 Women in Trades Career Fair
We’re thrilled to announce that the Women in Apprenticeship and Non Traditional Occupations (WANTO) program has received funding for another year! Along with our co-grantees ANEW, Tradeswomen, Inc., NEW-NYC, and Chicago Women in Trades, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. advocated for the renewal of the WANTO program, which remains the only source of federal funding that specifically targets women’s participation in apprenticeship.
Together in a coalition with our co-grantees, OTI worked closely with the staff of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, whose leadership was instrumental to getting WANTO funds included in the federal budget.
“Women hold less than three percent of high-wage jobs in the construction industry and face many barriers in gaining access to these nontraditional jobs,” said Merkley. “I’ve fought for funding for WANTO because it will make a big difference in helping train and ultimately put women in Oregon to work in high-wage, electrical, mechanical, highway and utility trades jobs that will provide financial security for a lifetime.”
Senator Ron Wyden with TACC instructor Amy at the “Sugar Shack” in Northeast Portland
We’re proud of the work that we have accomplished with WANTO funds, which are critical to our ability to provide training to low income women at no cost to them. This fall, students in our WANTO-funded Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class inspired community partners and Oregon leaders through their work to demolish and repurpose the former “Sugar Shack” strip club into a Cully neighborhood asset. We were fortunate to be able to share that work with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, who stopped by the job site after learning about our community partnership.
We’re thankful to our allies in the Senate who heard our call and took action on behalf of women everywhere.
National Women in Apprenticeship Day Social Media Campaign
It’s great that you are as excited as we are about National Women in Apprenticeship Day, Thursday November 5, 2015. Thank you for joining us to make the presence of women in apprenticeship known far and wide. We all know that apprenticeship itself is a very misunderstood concept and within that system, women are unseen. In order to bring this issue to the forefront, we have some tips for a Facebook post to contribute to the campaign and a national conversation. The tips below will give you a chance to let your friends and family know what you do, while connecting to other tradeswomen to create a larger impact!
Anatomy of the Facebook Campaign Post:
In order for you post to have the most effect, make sure that you specify for these posts to be ‘public’.
The Photo:
For this campaign, let’s show the world that women in apprenticeship work! Include a photo (or a video if you have it) of yourself on a job site or doing trades work. Here are some samples to inspire you!
The Text:
You should talk about your experience, your life, your apprenticeship. You want to let your networks know what you do and what that means to you! So, we aren’t crafting your post for you. However, here are some tidbits we are trying to highlight:
- Announce the first ever National Women in Apprenticeship Day, Thursday, November 5th, 2015
- Explain that apprenticeship means you get an education and paid on the job training!
- Talk about getting a life-long career, not just a job
- Share your story, about how apprenticeship changed your life
- Let folks know that women only comprise 3% of apprentices, nationally
The ‘Hashtag’ (or the connection to a larger campaign!):
Hashtags are an important and essential part of creating a Facebook campaign. When you tag organizations or include hashtags, the connected flurry of activity means that those posts get seen more frequently. Then more people share your post, and the impact grows! So, don’t forget to include some hashtags.
- Essential Hashtags:
- @OregonTradeswomenInc
- #WomenInApprenticeship
- Hashtags for Extra Lift:
- #Tradeswomen
- #NAW2015
- #20PercentBy2020
- Tagging to Bring Your Union/Employer into the Circle:
- Like your employer or local union and use – @EmployerFacebookAccountName
- Like your international union and use – @InternationalUnionFacebookAccountName
Take it to the next level!
Add the Twibbon look to your Facebook and/or Twitter Account:
Over the past couple of months, you may have seen people change their profile pictures to have an overlay image. Maybe it was for Planned Parenthood with a pink picture that said “#StandwithPP” or Domestic Violence Awareness with a purple tint and a ribbon. Well, we now have a Twibbon for Women in Apprenticeship! It is a white hardhat that will go over the top of your current profile picture on either Facebook or Twitter. To use this, go to Twibbon and search “Women in Apprenticeship”. Click on the link and allow it to access your Facebook or Twitter and the website will take care of the rest for you!
Bring the Conversation to Twitter:
For those of you who are active on Twitter already you can craft a short post ( I am #WomenInApprenticeship). Here are some rough ideas for people to tag that you could use on Twitter (in addition to those above!):
Your State Governor, State Labor Commissioner, or State Department of Labor
US Department of Labor, Valerie Jarrett (Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls), Labor Secretary Perez
Together, we can use National Women in Apprenticeship Day to really bring tradeswomen to the forefront!