tradeswomen
OTI Alumnae Spotlight: Meet Jess Kurtz!
Jess Kurtz grew up in Oakland, California in a low-income neighborhood with an underfunded school system and fewer opportunities. But, Oakland was also a socially conscious community with a deeply embedded awareness for radical activism that made a lasting impact on Jess’s life and sparked a lifelong interest in human rights. Her grit and determination helped her find her way to pursue work that would eventually lead her to land a very lucrative job in corporate marketing with a great salary, but little work-life balance. While in this position, Jess was in a terrible accident and was sent to Portland, OR for reconstructive surgery at OHSU. Following this life changing experience, Jess decided to stay in Portland and leave her 80-90 hour a week career in the corporate world behind in hopes of finding a job that mirrored her passion for women/worker’s rights, and bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
Once settled in Portland, Jess purchased some goats and started a nonprofit now known as the Belmont Goats, which is near and dear to the hearts of many in the Portland community. Jess also held a job as a union negotiator at Communication Workers of America Local 7901 where she met Madelyn Elder, the current CFO at Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. She kept in touch with Madelyn over the years and when she learned about OTI she kept the organization in the back of her mind.
Later, Jess worked at a glass and metal manufacturing facility where she was introduced to welding by a coworker. She fell in love with the trade and enjoyed learning a tangible skill. During this time, Jess was in involved in an abusive relationship with her partner who was also a coworker. When she was assaulted on the job, Jess’s sense of safety in her workplace was compromised. Like many employers, Jess’ did not have the skills or knowledge about how to deal with intimate partner violence in the workplace. Although Jess liked her job and felt a sense of loyalty to her employers, she ultimately chose to leave.
Upon leaving that job and taking some time to heal, Jess was motivated to continue working towards her goal of being a welder and called Madeyn to learn about how OTI could help her. Jess enrolled in OTI’s first Women in Metals and Manufacturing cohort and finished the course with high praise from her instructors and a deeper appreciation for the importance of women in the trade industry. She finished the program in 2015 while also working on finishing up her Associates in Applied Science in Welding Technology at Portland Community College. After taking some time off to travel in Europe, Jess is back in Portland and just accepted a job at Big Marine with hopes of entering the Boiler Maker apprenticeship as soon as possible.
Jess’s future goals include becoming a journeyman welder and a Certified Welding Inspector with the hopes that she can be an independent contractor and work abroad. She would also someday like to have her own welding company so that she can provide a safer workplace for women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community. Jess is a champion for the work that OTI does and hopes to be able to give back by being a mentor for other women who want to enter the trades.
When asked what her advice would be for women who are considering a career in the trades she said “entering the trade of your choice by way of an apprenticeship is the most valuable thing you can do in regards to making more money and being a professional in your trade”. She also spoke about the skill of learning how and when to stand up for yourself as a woman in the industry while also learning when to bite your lip and follow orders in order to gain more respect from your peers.
OTI Alumnae Spotlight: Meet Echo Dahl!
Just before the economy took a turn for the worse in 2009, Echo Dahl moved to Portland from Arizona, to put her bachelor’s degree in Architecture to work. Unfortunately, what she encountered was a lay-off followed by five years of searching for work. While unsuccessful in finding a job, she was determined to make it on her own, and as a way to make ends meet, she bartended part time and was able to persist by living off the tip money she earned as well as some public assistance.
Echo first heard about OTI at a job fair she attended but the timing was not right because she had just given birth to her son, Onyx. She never lost the thought of a career in the trades, though, and Echo returned to OTI a couple years later – after she made the decision to pursue a career as a carpenter. She was hopeful that she would make more money than the $37,000 per year she was once able to earn in architecture.
After graduating from OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class in 2013, Echo knew she would need a car in order to get to and from job sites, she made the somewhat difficult decision to give up her apartment and move in with her mother so she could use her damage deposit and tax return to buy a car.
“OTI was instrumental in my new career”
Echo now works as a project engineer for Pavillion Construction. She supports the project manager and superintendent on job sites. She was able to reach her goal of earning $60,000 a year just four years after starting OTI’s pre-apprenticeship class. When asked how OTI has helped her get to where she is today she said, “OTI was instrumental in my new career. I worked as an architecture intern and never knew my current position existed until OTI sent me on my first interview. This role essentially mirrors my old position with the (architecture) firm but it’s MUCH more fun. I get to be on site, see the construction happen, and be involved. And it PAYS better!!”
Echo was totally inspired by the trainers at OTI and her fellow tradeswomen during the TAC program. When asked what advice she would have for other women who are considering work in the trades, she said, “I tell anyone who will listen that the trades are a much smarter route than college. My college education helped me get where I am today, but if I had pursued carpentry out of high school, I could have reached the same goal while making much more money along the way and without the 50k in debt that will forever be my albatross.”
“I went from an unemployed single mom living in an apartment just barely making it to a successful mom with a new house and a great job. I’ve finally reached all my big goals after many years of struggling. OTI made that happen.”
Echo’s future career aspirations include becoming a superintendent or project manager. She is thankful for finding OTI during a time in her life when she was searching for a new path. In her own words, “I went from an unemployed single mom living in an apartment just barely making it to a successful mom with a new house and a great job. I’ve finally reached all my big goals after many years of struggling. OTI made that happen.”
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.
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.
The Portland Tribune Highlights the Experiences of Tradeswomen
Portland Tribune reporter, Peter Korn, contacted OTI’s Communications Manager, Mary Ann Naylor, around the middle of June, 2016. He was working on a story exploring the terms misogyny and sexism, and how women in different occupations might experience either or both on the job. One of the people he was interviewing for his story about misogyny suggested that he really needed to get the perspective of tradeswomen, so he called Mary Ann.
Mary Ann referred Peter to Jenna Smith, an OTI TACC Graduate who attained her journeyman card as a power line tree trimmer, and later – after a fight – attained a second journey man card as a lineworker. After speaking with Jenna about her experiences, he was ignited to share her story more fully. Peter contacted Mary Ann to let her know he was embarking on another journalistic project to document some of the experiences of tradeswomen into a multi-part story to run in consecutive weeks. Mary Ann was, of course, more than happy to support the development of these stories by connecting him to tradeswomen, industry contacts, and providing photos to help fully tell the stories.
Oregon Tradeswomen is incredibly thankful to Mr. Korn for his thoroughness and attention to detail in developing these pieces. These are important stories and many have never been shared publicly before now.
Week 1: Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Is today’s misogyny a ‘different, darker animal,’ or more of same ‘ol sexism?
Week 2: Thursday, June 30, 2016
The Worst Job In Oregon (If You’re A Woman)
Week 3: Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Over the line: harassment keeps women off the job
Week 4: Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Subtle sexism keeps women a step behind
&
Recruiting a better ending for women in the trades
Week 5: Thursday, July 29, 2016
Affirmative action fizzles for women in trades
Guest Blog Post: Ape Caves Hike
Hello! I’m Tiffany Thompson, OTI’s Advocacy Program Manager. I have been having so much fun hanging out with the Tradeswomen from Bitching Hikes and I wanted to share my enthusiasm and invite you to get involved!
Not only do I get to hang out with an amazing group of women but I also get to go on new adventures. For example, I went hiking in a cave! No, more than a cave a lava tube! If you haven’t been to the Ape Caves, I would highly recommend it. And, if you haven’t joined the hiking group yet, it should be your very next step! I am not a huge hiker but this has been a lot of fun. They select easy hikes in beautiful places. So, I hope to see you at the next one.
Join the group on Facebook to be the first to know about upcoming hikes!
Metro Hosts Screening of Sista in the Brotherhood
If you haven’t had a chance to look at positive news in Portland recently, Sista in the Brotherhood has become a big deal! Dawn Jones Redstone (Director), and and Roberta Hunt (Producer) have been invited to screen the film across Oregon and the US. The film won Best Short Film at the Portland International Film Festival. and was an official selection for the Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival. It was also shown at the Women Build Nation Conference in Chicago!
Most recently, Metro held a screening of the film as a part of their new Equity Initiative and Plan. The film was screened at the Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum, Tuesday April 19 at 12:00 pm. The film was followed by a panel discussion about government policy initiatives that could support women of color in the trades.
The panel was made up of industry professionals including:
- Dawn Jones Redstone, Director
- Dr. Roberta Hunt, Producer
- Gabi Schuster, Metro Procurement Manager
- Michael Burch, Community Relations with the Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters
- Lauren Holmes, Project Manager for Lease Crutcher Lewis
- and our very own Amy James Neel, Construction Manager at OTI!
The video below is Amy’s response to one question about the impact of policies:
We are encouraged by the fact that Metro is engaging in this important work. It is critical as they develop their policies moving forward, that they consider the real life impact on tradeswomen of color.
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!
New Tradeswomen Hiking Group
Wahclella Falls (Jeff Black)
Last year at the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute, there was a workshop called “Visions for a Better Worksite”. During this workshop, small groups discussed what they thought would help tradeswomen stay in the industry. For one of these groups, creating community among tradeswomen was the clear answer: Community to provide support, a place to share experiences, and a venue to eliminate feelings of isolation.
In this moment, the idea for Bitchin’ Hikes emerged. Hiking and Oregon are a natural pairing and it turns out so are tradeswomen and hiking! Beatrice Jenkins, Lori Baumann, and many other tradeswomen came together to start the group. Their stated mission is:
“To unite all women in the trades during a healthy, fun, and energizing activity. In a male-dominated industry, we need to be able to connect with other women that share the same conflicts, issues, insights, and advice.”
The hikes kick-off Sunday, March 20 and will take place every other month after that. All tradeswomen are invited along with your spouses, kids, friends, and ,yes, even your dogs. The first hike will be Wahclella Falls. Meet there at 11:00 am and be ready to hike by 11:15 am. You will want to bring lunch with you and plan for a $5 day trip cost. Some folks will be carpooling so join the Facebook Page to share details and make connections.
Now, there will be questions about the name of the group but fear not, it is actually very inspirational. The keynote speaker at the 2015 Tradeswomen Leadership Institute inspired everyone with the acronym that gets her through the day. In male dominated spaces, powerful, thoughtful, and strong women are often labelled bitch. This was turned into an acronym to remind her why she stays and was adapted for the hiking group.
Believe…
In…
Transformation…
Change…
Happens…
In…
Nature…
Hike away tradeswomen!
If you didn’t make it to the 2016 Annual Meeting…
We missed you! Hopefully, you can join us next year – in January, 2017!
As happens each year, Connie shared OTI’s accomplishments from 2015. The short summary version is that it was a very busy year for staff. If you want the more detailed version, well, you are going to have to wait a little longer. We are going to be releasing an annual report later this year and we don’t want to spoil all that hard work!
A critical piece of the Annual Meeting is voting in board members for their two year terms for both new and continuing board members. This year Aida Aranda and Stephanie Peters extended the terms of their board service, and Emily Wigre joined OTI’s Board of Directors!
Sometimes when we welcome someone new, we also have to say goodbye to someone else. After two terms of service, Cari Ebbert decided it was time for her to transition to a new role. She shared her passion for OTI, particularly the important role she feels the organizations plays in creating a community of tradeswomen who support each other. Cari is not a graduate of OTI’s TAC Class, but talked about volunteering for her union at the Women in Trades Career Fair every year. Once she realized that OTI coordinated the entire event, she began to volunteer with us as well! Thank you so much Cari for all of your time and dedication. We look forward to seeing you at OTI events and supporting us in new ways in the future.
We wrapped up the evening by recognizing our 2015 Outstanding volunteers and by holding a raffle. Believe it or not, Jen Netherwood was a winner again! Between hard work and good luck, we suspect she will be running the world soon. Overall, there were 61 people in attendance representing 19 different trades!
See you next year!