For Women
For Women — Why Construction?
Careers in the Building and Construction Trades…
We’re Looking for a Few Good Women.
Good jobs. Good pay. Great future.
Apprenticeships in the construction trades offer a way out of low paying,
dead-end jobs and put women on a path to high-wage careers and financial
success.
You’ll gain marketable skills
As an apprentice, you’ll be paid to learn your job. Your employer pays
for your on-the-job and technical classroom training, so you don’t
have to worry about finding the time or money to go back to school.
You’ll make a livable wage
In the first year, hourly apprenticeship wages range from Minimum Wage to
$30.46, and increase as you meet required milestones. Once you complete
the program and become a journey level worker, you’ll earn as much
as $48.75/hour.
You’ll have health and retirement benefits
Careers in the construction trades offer comprehensive health insurance to
keep you and your family safe and healthy. Many employers also offer generous
pensions and paid retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s.
Applying - How To Become an Apprentice
If you're not sure what you want to do, check out apprenticeship programs in Washington for general information about all of our Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
If you have an idea on what you would like to do, the following will help you immediately.
Programs
Accepting Applications
Most programs accept applications on a regular basis. This page lists those
programs which have sent us an "Apprentice Opening
Announcement".
To find out for certain whether or not a program is accepting applications,
you need to contact them directly.
To find Active Apprenticeship Programs, we recommend you look up "Programs by County", not "By Occupation" as some programs have different names for the same or similar occupation.
- Go to our online Apprentice Registration and Tracking System (ARTS) and run a Report of “Programs by County” for the county where your are living or working.
-
This report will show you all the programs that cover the specified county, sorted by occupation with the name of the program next to it.
-
Go through the entire list and select the appropriate program(s) which will give you the contact information for that program.
-
Contact the program to inquire if they are accepting applications.
-
If the program is accepting applications, follow their directions for applying.
-
Once you have applied and are accepted into the program, the program will then register you with Labor & Industries as a registered apprentice. Please note that if you're accepted into an occupation which has Licensing/Certification requirements in Washington State, you will need to get the appropriate license or trainee card from the appropriate agency.
- Go to our listing of “Programs by County” Web page for reports in Acrobat PDF format.
-
These Acrobat (PDF) files (one for each county) are sorted by occupation and list all programs that cover that county. Includes appropriate contact information.
-
Go through the list and select the appropriate program and contact the program to inquire if they are accepting applications.
-
If the program is accepting applications, follow their directions for applying.
-
Once you have applied and are accepted into the program, the program will then register you with Labor & Industries as a registered apprentice. Please note that if you're accepted into an occupation which has Licensing/Certification requirements in Washington State, you will need to get the appropriate license or trainee card from the appropriate agency.
- Contact the Local L&I Apprenticeship Consultant and they can provide you with information on occupations and registered programs in your area. Please note that if you have not done any of the above first, that you may be directed back to these pages.
- OR -
- OR -
Resources and Support
Preparing for and entering a career in the trades can feel overwhelming and intimidating. Take advantage of the many programs and organizations dedicated to helping you succeed in your apprenticeship and connecting you with the resources you need.
Pre-apprenticeship
training programs
Apprenticeships have specific educational requirements and skills. Pre-apprenticeship
training programs help you beef up your basic skills and prepare for a career
in the trades before you apply to a program, so you have a better chance
of success.
Mentoring programs
Sisters in
the Building Trades
Sisters in the Building Trades matches mentors with women who have entered
or are considering entering the trades. Sisters is an organization that
promotes women in the trades through recruitment and education, and provides
programs and resources for its members.
Programs Accepting Applications
This page lists those Programs which have sent in "Opening Announcements".
To find out for certain whether or not a program is accepting application,
you need to contact them directly.
Links to Women in the Trades Websites
There are many Websites which contain information of importance to Women in the Trades. A few of them are listed below.
Washington State
Sisters in the Building Trades
A Washington state based organization, Sisters promotes women in the trades through recruitment and education, and provides programs and resources for its members.Washington Women in Trades
Provides information about apprenticeships, the organization’s Trades Fair, job boards and more.Renton Technical College Apprenticeship Programs
Women in Construction: An Article From the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, 1999
Around the Country
Tradeswomen Now and Tomorrow (TNT) A national tradeswomen organization that supports and builds tradeswomen organizations across the country.
Resources for Women in Construction, the Building Trades and Other Nontraditional Occupations Provides information, education, peer support, job opportunities, relevant links and more.
U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau
Provides resources for and information about women in the workforce.
Other States:
General information:
20 Leading Occupations for Women in 2007
A Woman's Place is in the ...Building Industry
An article about statistics regarding women in the building industry.Institute for Women In Trades, Technology, and Science
IWITTS is dedicated to integrating women into nontraditional careers by providing training and technical assistance and publications to the educational system and employers.Lillian A. Baumbach
Biography and articles about the First Woman Master Plumber.National Women's History Project
A non-profit corporation self-supporting through funds raised from the sale of materials, consulting services, and donations from our national constituency.Resources for Women in Construction, the Building Trades, and other Non-traditional Occupations
Women Work - The National Network for Women's Employment
Womans TechWorld
The online home for women technicians to connect with each other. Read "Her Stories" about female role models in a wide range of tech occupations, these fabulous diverse women are from across the US and are all ages and races. Whether you are a Network Engineer, a Mechanic or a Sound Tech or a female student in a tech major, you'll want to visit WomenTechWorld.Org where you're not alone anymore.
Other Countries:
Canadian Construction Women
A site dedicated to the needs and interests of women working in construction related fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I become an apprentice?
What are some of the challenges of working in the construction trades?
- Construction work typically starts very early, so women with children will need to find reliable, morning childcare.
- Construction jobs are physically and mentally demanding.
- Year-round outdoor works is required in most jobs.
- Less than 3% of all construction workers are women.
How much money will I make as an apprentice? How about as a journey
level worker?
In the first year, hourly apprenticeship wages range from Minimum Wage to $30.46,
and increase as you meet required milestones. Once you complete the program
and become a journey level worker, you’ll earn as much as $48.75/hour.
Do I need a high school education to apply for an apprenticeship?
Most apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED. Some also require
additional basic skills. Pre-apprenticeship programs are available to help you gain skills you need to be accepted into
a program.
How long will it take me to complete a program?
It varies by trade, but plan on spending two to four years as an apprentice.
Apprenticeships have a minimum requirement of 2,000 hours of on-the-job experience
and 144 hours of related technical instruction for each year of the apprenticeship.
How do I know if an apprenticeship is right for me?
Where can I get more information?
For general information about apprenticeships and women in the trades, visit
our Resources and Support page. For information
about applying for an apprenticeship program or other questions, contact
a Labor & Industries
apprenticeship consultant in your area.
