Women in the Electrical Trade

In response to a reader's questions, I'd like to take this opportunity to discuss this slightly controversial topic, or at least address my experiences thus far. Recently, our Local has engaged in a diversity training program that is accessible online and on DVD. Personally, I've attended many such in-house programs over the years, and the issues that we deal with never feel completely settled. And honestly, I'm glad for that. I grew up in an underprivileged neighborhood, typically meaning it was a predominantly minority population. "Minority" is a certain catch-all phrase that includes so many sub-sets of our human population. I happen to fall into multiple minority categories all at once, and much like Schroedinger's cat, it depends which group the observer happens to be observing, to understand the results of those observations. That is, are you trying to understand another person's cultural background? gender? race? sexual orientation? ethnicity? nationality? What I've often found is if you address these experiences separately and individually, then often pigeon-hole concepts arise and assumptions are made about the person which may not exactly apply in his/her situation.

In this case, when we're dealing with the fact that I am a woman (a minority in the male-dominated field of construction), my co-workers are often hesitant in the first few days/weeks of working with me. And I too am somewhat hesitant. As many apprentices often feel when transferring to a new crew or company, there is a certain testing period that happens when everybody wants to know "Is this a good fit?" Like an ecosystem, there exists a very sensitive balance amongst crew members that builds over time. Sense of humors, work styles, complaining and praising habits are all variables that interact to create the cohesion of a team. When a new person is thrown in the mix, suddenly there's turmoil, uncertainty and curiosity. Add to this the fact that "it's a girl!" and you've got a full-blown tornado of confusion. What do I do? I show up, and work. I do the electrical work the way I've been trained, I ask questions about new concepts, and I cross my fingers that personalities will mesh. Usually, it's no problem. There have been a few glitches here and there, but nothing that I've found terribly off-putting.

One common theme that I've found is that many men who don't yet know me are fearful of what they say and how they act when I am in the room. There is a certain level of mistrust that lingers about "being politically correct" and whether or not a formal complaint will be issued against them. Sometimes it feels like they think I'm a vulture or hawk, just waiting for the opportunity to pounce on their bad deeds, and make it big on the company's legal cash-cow. I guess that's a side-effect of society using legal means and fear mongering to teach about tolerance and diversity. I'm sure these things do happen, but unfortunately I think it's over-represented and a little misguided to perpetuate the drama.

If you happen to be a male electrician, unsure of how to handle a woman on the job, I would advise to not let the fact that she's a woman get in the way of realizing all the other aspects of this human being who you're dealing with, just like that other new guy you're trying to figure out -- there's lots more about a person than whether they stand up or sit down while peeing.

Ultimately, I don't think anyone likes their identity being put into a cubbyhole and being treated, based solely on one aspect of who they are. It is pretty offensive, no matter how you say it -- "Oh you're acting like such a ________." (enter any single aspect: woman, christian, republican, liberal, man, jew, mexican, etc.) If there's any one thing I'd like to be judged on, that would be how good an electrician I am. And everyone should know there's always room for improvement.

Comments & questions welcome.

A little bit about $$

Last week I was thrilled at seeing my new paycheck. It was a long time coming, and definitely a boost to my budget. The pay grades that are scheduled throughout the apprenticeship have been a gift in disguise. Even though the early stages (1st year through 3rd) were a tough pill to swallow, being somewhat on the low side of the scale, they also gave me the opportunity to really plan and budget for all of my expenses. Budgeting and saving have not been much of a priority to me in the past because I took it for granted that I would always be working. At the very least, all my bills were paid, and if I ever wanted to save for something big like a vacation, or a luxury purchase, it wouldn't be a thing to just put some cash aside for that high ticket item.

Maybe it's my age sneaking up on me (30 in a few months!), or maybe my eyes are just a little wider now because of these "tough economic conditions", but saving for a rainy day has become more important than ever. To be honest, on my 3rd year wages, I was just breaking even with my monthly expenses. I didn't rack up debt, but I wasn't exactly building a nest egg either. However, I do own a home, and that's something to show for. Thanks to the consistent and reliable income, I've been able to routinely pinch a tiny bit off the top to "pay myself first" through automatic savings. Although the actual figures in that savings may look paltry, the most valuable thing of it has been the habit itself.

I loved Ralph's talk in Book 5 about layoffs and savings. Students in my year are fortunate. We've seen the effects of a terrible recession all around us, and yet most of us have not been touched by it personally. We're still considered somewhat cost-effective on the job, and so have a bit more of a safety net with the apprenticeship. One thing is for sure: I don't take it for granted any more that I will always be working. I've talked to mechanics that I worked with from other companies and they've been out of work for months, and one in particular has been out for over a year. I've seen my company lay off workers who have been with them for 10, 15+ years. It is a fact of this industry. You've got to be tough. But more importantly, you've got to be prepared. Luckily the whole being prepared thing is easy enough to learn for anyone!