1999 Women In Trades Fair Award Winners 

1998 Women In Trades Fair 

Ten Years and Growing Strong: 2002 Women in Trades Fair Gets Underway

News from around the state:  Southern Oregon Group Plans Third Annual Fair, Monthly Dinners for Tradeswomen

1999 Women In Trades Fair Award Winners 

Active Advocate: Lita Colligan 
As Program Coordinator for the Workforce Training and Hiring Program for the City of Portland, Lita is involved in systemic changes in the construction industry which will benefit women. Her work with the city has included the development of internal policies to assist with training and hiring of women in the City’s own construction workforce. Lita has taken a leadership role in advocating for real, tangible change that will affect the lives of women. 

Journey Level Tradeswoman: Deb Marinos 
Deb Marinos is a supervising electrician, a shop owner, and an Area II Inside Wireman JATC board member who has lived in the Silverton, OR area most of her life. She does not let her blindness deter her from her full-time work in the field, training of apprentices, owning a business and the responsibilities of a full-time wife and mom. 

Apprenticeship Committee: NECA/IBEW Electrical JATC 
For over 25 years, the NECA/IBEW Electrical Training Center has taken an active role in supporting women in non-traditional occupations. They are working with women in the trade to develop mentoring programs and effective outreach activities that includes training tradeswomen to visit school classrooms and present interactive hands-on demonstrations of the work they do. Currently 59 women are indentured in three programs (10.6%). 

Trades Instructor: Judy Campagna 
After working 13 years as a refrigeration mechanic, Judy joined the faculty of Portland Community College. She has been a faculty member with PCC’s B-FIT (Building Futures in Industry & Trades) program since its inception in 1989. In addition to her classroom contact with students, Judy does whatever she can to encourage them to complete the program and pursue an apprenticeship while maintaining high standards for their performance. Judy advocates for the B-FIT program by participating in recruitment, marketing and orientation activities. She is an active member of Oregon Tradeswomen Network, serving on the board and as chair of the fundraising committee. 

Apprentice Tradeswoman: Myrtice Johnston 
Myrtice began as a laborer apprentice four years ago. She has graduated to become enrolled in Associated General Contractor’s Operator Engineer program. Through her career planning, she has set goals and worked hard to achieve them. Her consistent hard work and perseverance has produced a confident, tradeswoman who has gained the respect of current and past employers. 

Student Tradeswoman: Margo Davis 
Margo is a graduate of the Housing Authority of Portland’s Evening Trades Apprenticeship Preparation program. During this 6-month, 85 day, 300+ hour program, Margo achieved a 99.4% attendance record attesting to her determination and commitment to providing a better life for her family. She has taken charge of her career and is well on her way to a successful future as a carpenter. 

Employer: Christenson Electric, Inc. 
A solid record of community action programs is the tangible outcome of Christenson’s belief in giving back to both the local and international communities. Christenson has supported educational and youth programs to enable women and minorities to compete in the employment market. Of particular interest to women, some of Christenson’s female employees have counseled area high school students on job opportunities within the trade and how to prepare for a career in the trades.

1998 Women In Trades Fair 

The 1998 Fair was a wonderful event. On Friday, 275 young women in grades six through twelve attended, with 28 teachers, and on Saturday, the Fair hosted over 200 adult women job-seekers. Fifty or more exhibits, almost all of them staffed by one or more tradeswomen, provided information and role-models to girls and women attending the Fair. Eight different workshops gave women and girls a chance to experience hands-on learning. 
Many thanks to all of you who worked to make the Fair such a fabulous event. 

Ten Years and Growing Strong:  2002 Women in Trades Fair Gets Underway

My, how we’ve grown. 

In 1992, an all-volunteer Oregon Tradeswomen Network partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau to stage the first Women in Trades Fair in Oregon.  Thirty-five exhibitors attracted 100 women to Newport Middle School for the Saturday-long event.

Ten years later, OT’s Women in Trades Fair has grown tenfold.  We surpassed the 1,000 attendee mark in 2001, attracting 1,161 people from around Oregon and Southwest Washington.  In 2002, we expect to draw more than 1,500 girls and women to the Local 290 Plumbers and Steamfitters Training Center over the course of three days of hands-on activities, demonstrations, exhibits, and more.  The 2002 Fair happens on May 16, 17 and 18.

Building on the success of last year’s Fair, our community partners on the Women in Trades Fair Planning Committee are already envisioning great new possibilities for the 2002 Fair.  The Local 290 Training Center features large spaces for exhibits and workshops, and has state-of-the-art welding and computer-aided drafting (CAD) labs.  Plans are underway for the best use of the space; the committee is also strategizing possible new partnerships and marketing strategies to help us meet our fundraising and attendance goals.

Many thanks to the following individuals for their enthusiastic contributions to the 2002 Fair committee:  Joe York and Bob Kimes, Local 290; Cindy Neufeld and Marilyn Killingee, Clackamas Community College; Joe Hutchins, Portland General Electric; June Boon, Association of Women in Automotive; Cindy Regier, Associated Builders and Contractors; Carolyn Kidd, Operating Engineers Training Center; Shelley Matthews and James Opoka, Multnomah County; Arthur Moore, U.S. Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training; Jeff Triplett, Portland Community College; Erin McRae, Oregon Electric Group; Bonnie Randolph, Portland Public Schools; Kathy Treves, PACT Center; Angela Ramos and Wynnette Gentemann, ODOT; Kathy Jensen, ESD 112, Vancouver; Michelle McKenna, Painters and Drywall Apprenticeship.

Want to contribute your ideas to make the 2002 Fair the best yet?  Call Connie at 503-943-2271 to join the planning committee.

Check out the Women in Trades Fair link on the OT web site for up-to-date details about the event:  www.tradeswomen.net/fair.html.  See you in May!

--Darcy Varney

(11/01)

News from around the state:
Southern Oregon Group Plans Third Annual Fair, Monthly Dinners for Tradeswomen

The 2002 Southern Oregon Women in Trades Fair will be held in Medford on Saturday, March 9.  All Southern Oregon tradeswomen are encouraged to participate.  If you haven’t been to the fair the past two years and would like to know more about it, please contact Jeanne Schraub at Rogue Community College (RCC), 541-245-7994; or Gerry Sea, 541-245-7541.  We welcome tradeswomen from other parts of the state as well, and some accommodations are available to overnight visitors wishing to stay with local tradeswomen.

Produced by RCC’s Gender Equity Project and the help of over 90 volunteers, last year’s fair reached out to more that 300 women and girls, sharing information about exciting and rewarding trades careers.  The more tradeswomen who participate, the more real the message to other women that trades work is a viable option for them.  If you live or work in Southern Oregon, please join us in planning this event.

Southern Oregon tradeswomen continue to meet the second Friday of every month.  We are enjoying the company of our working sisters.  The small but growing number of female apprentices in our area is a very encouraging sign.  Any women working or training in trades careers are welcome to join us.  We will be gathering for dinner (no host) at Red Rock Pizza, 827 Jackson St, Medford, on Friday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m.  Come for conversation, work information and laughter.  Treat yourself to an evening out with local tradeswomen.  For more information, call Jeanne at the number above.

--Jeanne Schraub

(12/01)