TACC
Partner Spotlight: Sheet Metal Institute
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. is most grateful for the support of community and industry in our work in promoting the success for women in the trades through education, leadership and mentorship. We do this, in large part, working with our partners in a variety ways, including the coordination of field trips for our Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class participants.
TAC class is a free, 7-week, pre-apprenticeship training class that helps women prepare for a high skill, high wage career in construction. Over the course of the session, women visit several sites like the Sheet Metal Institute.
The center is a registered non-profit joint labor-management training trust between the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union #16 and Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association – Columbia Chapter. It offers approved training programs in three occupations including Sheet Metal Worker, Sheet Metal Worker Service Technician and Residential Sheet Metal Worker.
Kim Neel is a career counselor and job placement specialist for OTI. She coordinates the field trips and I asked her to share some thoughts about our appreciation for the center and the employees who operate it:
“I always make it a priority to make it to the Sheet Metal Institute, because so often many women do not understand what sheet metal workers do. Kevin does a remarkable job of walking them through the process of understanding the scope of the industry as well as its history. He has a great way of getting our students excited not only about the variety of the work, but also the mathematical and mental challenges it brings. They are naturally drawn to the industry because of his organized delivery.
Kevin Roth – Training Coordinator
At the beginning of class, we ask all the students what trade they are interested in. Few students ever say Sheet Metal at the start of class. When they graduate we almost always have women who enthusiastically say sheet metal after visiting the training center. The training staff is VERY patient and are great at explaining how and why they are doing what they are doing when they give them a hands on task. The training center also invests in our students and gives them a hands on experience which is invaluable. The students often tell me….”It was when I got my hands on the tools that I fell in love with the trade.” I love that they invest the time and resources into our students. It really shows their commitment to diversify their trade and I respect that a lot.”
— Kim Neel, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Thanks to the entire staff of Sheet Metal Institute for their years of support as a field trip host but also for their long standing support of our annual Women in Trades Career Fair. If you want to learn more about their programs, see their web site for complete details.
— Dennise M. Kowalczyk, Development Director
Meet OTI TACC Graduate, Melissa Mazurek:
Melissa was just 22 years old when she enrolled in Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC) – a pre-apprenticeship program preparing women for success in the building, construction, mechanical, and utility trades. She was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan which is on the west side of the state, not too far from Lake Michigan. Here is her story:
I left home at 18, and after traveling all over the country and working seasonal jobs in Montana, I met my current partner, and about 3 and a half years ago, by chance, ended up staying in Portland.
Before starting my training at OTI last year, I was unemployed. I worked a few odd jobs here and there .. farmer’s markets, bakeries, and did farm work in Montana each year. I was homeless off and on. A lot of it had to do with not being satisfied with where I was and what I was doing. I was moving around too much and ended up completely broke more often than not. The seasonal farm work I had done in Montana each year provided me with a little bit of savings, but I couldn’t find a full time job that paid well and held my interest. OTI’s pre-apprenticeship program and the people I met while going through the class helped me realize that the jobs I had dreamed about being able to get were actually possible.
I learned about OTI’s class from a couple of friends who told me about either going through the program or having a partner who did. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go through with it at first. It seemed so intimidating to walk into a classroom again after years of avoiding it to learn something I was completely unfamiliar with. I was a little afraid of failing (isn’t everyone?), and thought, ‘What if I do this and it doesn’t work out either?‘ Luckily, I have some people in my life who are very supportive, and they talked me into it. I’m pretty damn glad they did.
During my time with OTI, the biggest thing I noticed were the changes within myself. I felt timid and unsure about the class and everything when I started. At the end, everything had completely changed. My classmates and instructors had gotten me so excited about the new opportunities that lay ahead, and I felt more confident and stronger than ever. I finally had some idea of where I wanted my work/career to go. Plus, we did all those killer fitness training work outs, and after getting through those, I think we all felt like we could accomplish anything!
I started at Gunderson, LLC, a part of the Greenbrier Companies. Currently, I’m a fitter welder. When I began training in September of 2014, they started me out at $12.60 an hour. After a month of training and passing some weld tests, they bumped me up to $16.80 an hour, and I am now earning $18.65 an hour! And I will receive another raise after I am here for a year.
The best thing about welding is how extremely satisfying it feels to lay out beautiful, strong welds. It’s a really fun trade! I’m also slightly competitive and work in a pretty fast paced, production environment, so I like to time myself and see what I can do to be faster and still pump out high quality parts. I really love the fitting aspect of it too, all the measuring and putting things perfectly in place. I’ve always liked detailed jobs. At Gunderson, we get to make parts for train cars/ whole train cars, and I’m sort of a nerd for trains, so it’s cool to be a part of producing them.
Moving ahead, I’d really like to learn more welding processes, get some certifications, and explore other areas of production. I’m at the very beginning of this journey and know I still have a lot to learn. In the back of my mind I’ve always wanted to work for myself, so that’s also something I’d like to work up to over the next few years.
Two years ago, I would have never imagined being able to accomplish what I have in the past year. It’s crazy how much has happened! OTI really gave me a lot of confidence and is such a valuable resource and support system. I honestly don’t think I could have done all of this so quickly on my own and am incredibly grateful for what OTI has taught me and helped me with.
Whether it was relearning my shop math, helping me find connections to learn about welding, or literally sending my resume to an employer and helping me get an interview, OTI has been there. Things felt a little hopeless before I went through the pre-apprenticeship program. Now I have a job that I love, my own apartment and a little extra income to use to enjoy doing things I couldn’t be doing otherwise. It’s awesome!
If I were to give any advice to other women considering pursing an apprenticeship and a career in the trades is to do it! Plain and simple. Some days are really going to suck and you might want to quit, while others are exhilarating and fun. It can be frustrating, but it’s totally worth it in the end. What you learn and what you challenge yourself to do will only make you stronger.
Oh, and I would also recommend that you get lots of sleep, eat well, and exercise often! Saying please, thank you and staying calm in tough work situations will get you a long way with all of your coworkers. Also, never be afraid to ask for help, it shows that you have the desire and will to learn.
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Check out the Public Service Announcement Bank of America developed about OTI’s Women in Metals & Manufacturing program which features Melissa!
Published: Friday, August 7, 2015
Call to Action: Tell Congress You Support Funding WANTO
The Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) Act is a small pool of money that organizations like Oregon Tradeswomen rely on to run pre-apprenticeship classes for women. WANTO appropriations amounted to less than $2 million over the last two years, but the program’s impact on women’s economic security is colossal. With the support of this crucial funding source, WANTO grantees (including Oregon Tradeswomen) have helped thousands of women access meaningful careers in male-dominated industries with quality, family-supporting wages. Regions where WANTO-funded organizations work have more than twice the national average of women employed in construction trades. WANTO works!
Oregon Tradeswomen needs your help: The federal budget under currently under consideration by Congress provides zero dollars for WANTO. But with your help, we can change that and get WANTO back in the budget. We need your voice for our message to be heard in Congress.
The best way to support Oregon Tradeswomen’s efforts to keep WANTO alive is to contact your elected representatives and tell them how vital WANTO is to women in the trades. We’ve made it easy – you can write to your representative with the simple template linked below. (Make sure to read through and personalize your message.) Support tradeswomen, support OTI, and support our sister organizations around the nation. Tell Congress that programs that work should be expanded, not cut out of the budget. Fund WANTO, WANTO works!
Pathways to Success Scholarship Fund
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. welcomes the support of the business community to help us fulfill our mission to engage more women and girls in the trades. Our newest opportunity is a scholarship fund program supporting the impactful work of our Pathways to Success program, namely, our Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC).
The TAC class program offers a focus on apprenticeship through a 7-week, state-certified, pre-apprenticeship training class that helps women prepare for a high skill, high wage career in the blue-collar professions in construction, manufacturing and the utility trades. Class sessions occur four times a year. All interested participants must first attend an information session and then a rigorous screening interview with staff in order to be qualified to participate in the class.
TACC covers key elements that lead to a successful outcome for students as well as teaching the grit, perseverance, and timeliness skills that also contribute to professional readiness: basic math and measurement, job safety in addition to construction culture, using hand and power tools, and physical fitness training. All of this is included with the 30 hours of hands-on training experience working with professional tradeswomen. Due to the intense one-on-one instruction we offer in this program, the cost to cover associated expenses is $5,000 per woman. But our students attend at no cost to themselves!
Why is this? The majority of our students are in low-wage jobs, unemployed, or are being supported by their families. In fact, their average annual income is only $11,000. We raise funds from foundations and contributors to cover the cost of the class and help our students move from poverty to the middle class, and self-sufficiency.
With your contribution of $5,000 toward our Pathways to Success Scholarship Fund, your business can help a woman learn about skills and opportunities to pursue well-paying jobs in our community. Your company will also be listed as a supporter of the program on our web site, receive acknowledgement on our social media platforms and will receive a mention in our e-newsletter. You will also receive an invitation to attend class graduation to see your generous donation at work along with acknowledgement as a program supporter on the graduation program and the event invitation!
Our graduates are ready to hit the ground running. Please contact Dennise M. Kowalczyk – Development Director – at dennise@tradeswomen.net or call 503.335.8200, x38 for more information. Please join us in promoting the success for girls and women in the trades through education, leadership, and mentorship by becoming a scholarship fund program.
Wells Fargo Awards Grant to OTI
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. is pleased to announce a $2,500 grant awarded by Wells Fargo for our Pathways to Success program.
With a focus on apprenticeship, the Pathways to Success program offers the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC). It is a 7-week, pre-apprenticeship training class that helps women prepare for a high skill, high wage career in construction.
Upon graduation, OTI career counselors assist TACC graduates with their job search and application to apprenticeship training programs. OTI career counselors also provide individualized employment counseling throughout the entire course of the graduate’s trades career.
Learn more about our TAC Class or sign up for an information session about the class, the first step to enrollment in the program.
OTI thanks Wells Fargo for its support of our program!
Scholarships Galore!
* Photo courtesy of Lindsay Cimina Photography
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Here at OTI it has become the season of scholarships! March is a hot month for money supporting women in the trades! While we were not directly invited for this scholarship opportunity, thanks to our ruthless, internet-scouring staff member Leigh McIlvaine, we are able to pass the opportunity along to you!
The Dwyer Group is supporting women in the trades by awarding six $1,500 scholarships each semester. They intend for these scholarships to be used by tradeswomen to pay tuition, books, travel and/or fees. While The Dwyer Group is based in Texas, they are opening their scholarships to tradeswomen across the US and Canada. However, they do limit scholarships to seven trade specialties:
- HVAC
- Plumbing
- Electrical Repair
- Glass Repair and Replacement
- Appliance Repair
- Restoration
- Landscaping
The first deadline is March 31st and the second is September 30. So, go forth and apply!
You will need to complete an application, two 500 word essays, and get a reference. Good luck!
Microsoft Word Dwyer Group Scholarship Application
January 2015 – Oh, what a month!
All kinds of love headed OTI’s way since my last post about such matters. It is so thrilling to hear from our members how much they love OTI and how they join us in our collective vision to help women pursue work in the trades.
At our recent annual meeting, we visited with almost 70 attendees to talk about what we did accomplish over the past year and all the great opportunity that is available to us in 2015.
Please visit our Facebook page to see more photos from our Annual Meeting!
Our accomplishments for 2014 include:
• 79 women graduated from our Pathways pre-apprenticeship program in 2014.
• We helped 88 women get their first job in the trades or move up to apprenticeship.
• 75 graduates landed their first job in the trades with an average hourly wage of $15.18.
• 1441 girls and educators attended our annual Women in Trades Career Fair.
• 76 girls attended our Summer Girls Construction Camp through our Building Girls program.
We also gave away great raffle prizes! Thanks to Portland Spirit, Tradeswomen, Inc., Miss Zumstein Bakery & Coffee Shop, Ristretto Roasters, and Hankins Hardware for donating some really sweet prizes. A special shout out of thanks to Doris, our amazing volunteer, who did the work at getting most of these goodies into our hands.
We received great news from these foundations as they sent us very generous support for our various programs:
- NW Health Foundation – $50,000 – Building Equity – Creating a Construction Culture that Supports Women and People of Color
- The Autzen Foundation- $3,000 – Building Girls
- The Jim & Dianna Murphy Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation – $10,000 – Supporting programs that encourage girls and women to explore careers in transportation and trucking
THANK YOU!!!
I had the pleasure of hand delivering several certificates of appreciation to a few of our long-time sponsors of our annual career fair. I visited with NW Natural, RR Donnelley, PacifiCorp and Gunderson.
Our 2015 Career Fair is taking place May 14 – 16 — learn more here!
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to OTI today in order to support our efforts to promote success for women and girls in the trades through education, leadership, and mentorship, please click here – thank you!
— Dennise M. Kowalczyk (Development Director)
An Update from OTI Graduate Chevy Nash…
We were thrilled to hear from OTI TACC Graduate Chevy Nash and learn about how her career is progressing. She recently sent this inspiring note:
“I am now the operations manager at Alpha Energy Savers, a weatherization company. It’s a small company and I’m working in the office and able to make the job whatever I may want to make out of it for now and the future. I met Carter Stafford – he was working at Alpha the night you sent me to the Home Performance Guild meeting to track down Kelly Haines! He remembered me and called me when he knew he was moving on to Conservation Services Group (CSG) and hired me to take over.
I have been thrown in and am trying to get the gist of it all, but I love everything l I get to learn! Kelly at Clean Energy Works (CEW) has agreed to pay for my Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification license, and I can put that certification to use doing home energy auditing for my current company and I’ll also have on the job training with an in house BPI certified supervisor and be getting paid all along the way!
My company works with Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington County to make low income homes more energy efficient, we are working with TriMet to use weatherization as noise mitigation for houses near the new Max line running through Milwaukie, and of course we work with regular everyday folks looking to improve their homes efficiency.
Frankly it’s kind of the best situation as I’m learning terminology, how each of the programs work, going to training meetings & contractors meetings, and asking a ton of questions. It will get me even more ready for the next step and I get paid a decent wage along the way.
Anyway I wanted to give you a heads up. Now that I have more than two nickels to rub together I’ve sent my first donation check into Oregon Tradeswomen as you guys are a big reason why I got a leg up.
Wanted you to know and to thank you for helping me along the way…having me go to that Home Performance Guild meeting was HUGE!”
Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduation
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. cordially invites you to attend the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class Graduation!
Date:
Wednesday, December 10
Time:
5:00 – 6:00 pm
Location:
The Auditorium,
PCC Metro Workforce Training Center
5600 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland OR 97218
Name of Graduate and Trade Goal:
Cindy Benton — Electrician
Valerie “Val” Black — Carpenter
Abigail “Abby” Caraballo — Electrician
Amanda Coleman — Carpenter
Lidia Garcia — Electrician
Savannah Gates-Stacy — Carpenter
Tanzie Hickory — Elevator Constructor
Tennece “T” Lowen — Steamfitter
Kristin Masaki — Carpenter
Jennifer “Kiki” Metter — Iron Worker
Amy Mettler — Cement Mason
Carol Murray — Carpenter
Leslie Murray — Operating Engineer
Alyssa Phelps — Electrician
Catherine Rehm — Sheet Metal
Paige Reimers — Carpenter
Nina Reynolds — Plumber
Carrie Risdon — Elevator Constructor
Teresa Rush — Tile Setter
Judith Russo — Undecided
Brittany Schoenborn — Electrician
Erin Supri — Sheet Metal
Meet Renee Beaudoin, Apprentice Carpenter
One of the first projects that Portland’s Renee Beaudoin got involved in after graduating from Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.’s (OTI) Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC) in 2011 was making phone calls to U.S. legislators. She was part of a team urging Senators and Congresspeople to support hiring women and people of color to work on the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building modernization project.
She chuckles at the memory: “And then I ended up working here – kind of funny.”
It’s also a kind of linking of eras. One of the building’s namesakes, the late Oregon Congresswoman Edith Green, may be best known for Title IX, the part of the 1972 Higher Education Act that prohibited federally funded colleges and universities from discriminating against women. Title IX also opened the doors for girls to attend “shop” classes.
In high school, though, Renee was on a track toward healthcare. “I thought I wanted to do nursing or something like that,” she says. “I went through the whole health occupational program at Benson High School, but I didn’t ever look for any type of job in the healthcare industry.” Renee didn’t discover the trades until later, when she was serving a prison sentence and learned about OTI’s TACC program.
Now Renee is one of hundreds of tradespeople working on the modernization project, which will make the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt building only the fifth LEED-certified federal building in the country. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the certification, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, focuses on the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. This effort is classified as a federal “mega project” because the budget is over $50 million, its impact on the economy, the community, and its duration of more than two years. “It’s good to be part of the team. I look around and I see other women,” Renee says. “I feel really proud – I wish there were more (women on the project).”
In the program Renee is part of, a worker advances to the next level, or “term”, after 750 hours on the job, as a member of the carpenters union, Renee’s career is just getting started – and she loves it. “I’m excited that I’m going to be learning,” she says. “I’m just now at the very beginning of my career. Even my boss, who has been at it for 20 years now, says ‘I still learn something new every day.'”
Learning new things seems to come naturally to Renee. Once she found out about OTI, she was set to go. “I was really focused and knew exactly what I wanted to do,” she says. “But I didn’t know about the union or anything until I went through OTI’s TACC program.”
Renee is earning approximately the same weekly wage she was earning at her last job, working retail at a mall, but she is a lot happier. “Plus, I know I’m going to be moving up (in pay grade),” she says. Journey-level carpenters can make up to $32.00 an hour.
Renee added, “At the end of the day I can look back at all the work that I did for the day. And it’s like, cool, look at what I did!”