Archive for July 2015
The Commission on Equitable Contracting and Purchasing
The first meeting of the Commission on Equitable Contracting and Purchasing, formed to increase utilization of minorities and women-owned businesses in City of Portland contracting, and increase inclusion of minorities and women in the workforce on City-funded projects was held on July 30, 2015.
The nine Commissioners: Marcela Alcantar, Michael Burch, Andrew Colas, Herb Fricke, Vicqui Guevara, Tony Jones, Rosa Martinez, Andrew McGough, and Maurice Rahming, represented a wide spectrum of minority and women-owned business and workforce interests.
Mayor Hales expressed his enthusiastic support for the Commission. As he witnessed their oath of office, he said, “This oath goes with real power and reflects the seriousness and heft of what you are about here – about real change to help make this a City of opportunities for more people.”
OTI is thrilled with the establishment of this commission and looks forward to hearing more about the results of their work.
Links of Interest:
Ordinance that established the Commission
List of Commissioners and their affiliations
Oregon Tradeswomen, Women’s Bureau Hold Roundtable on Female Retention in Trades
From top left: Steve Simms, Lili Hoag, Larry S. Williams, John Gardener, Connie Ashbrook, Betty Lock, Paloma Sparks, Meghan Moyer, Pat Daniels, Tiffany Thompson, Sara Gourley
Portland-region workforce development organizations were honored to host Women’s Bureau Region X Regional Administrator Betty Lock this week for a roundtable discussion on retention of women in trades apprenticeships. The group came together to discuss a persistent and vexing problem in the construction industry: A full 65 percent of women fail to complete their apprenticeships, a rate substantially higher than men’s termination rate of 35 percent.
The robust discussion was informed by experts in the field from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Worksystems, Inc., the Northwest College of Construction, Constructing Hope, Family Forward Oregon, and Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., who convened the meeting. Among the factors that contribute to the disparity in retention rates discussed by the group were jobsites and employers that remain hostile toward women, the fact that tradeswomen are dispatched to fewer work hours than their male apprentice counterparts, and the continued lack of supportive services that are tailored to the specific needs of workers in the construction industry.
Betty Lock hears from participants about challenges faced by female apprentices in the trades
Solutions offered by the group included emphasizing accountability and enforcement on projects that fail to meet diversity hiring targets, working with contractors and employers to stimulate demand for female workers, and tailoring supportive services to suit women working in the industry that have children. Many in attendance emphasized the importance of networking, noting that women and men of color are not being mentored into a network that guarantees them more access to the jobs that help them succeed in apprenticeship. Oregon Tradeswomen’s Advocacy Program Manager also offered a summary of its work on the Green Dot bystander intervention program, which could be employed on construction jobsites to reduce harassment of female and minority workers.
We look forward to continuing this discussion with our regional partners and the Department of Labor, as well as working together to refine and implement the best of these strategies in the future. Oregon Tradeswomen wishes to thank our regional partners, Betty Lock, and the Women’s Bureau for their commitment to women in the trades and for coming together to discuss this critical issue!
Congratulations to OTI’s Building Girls Summer Work Crew!
OTI is incredibly proud of the young women in our Building Girls Summer Work Crew who just finished up four weeks of learning to build! They constructed a large arbor at Nadaka Nature Park!
Photo captions: Building at Camp Westwind (left), Tylea stands in the hole she dug all by herself in preparation for the construction of an arbor (middle); Finished arbor (right).
OTI’s 2015 Building Girls Summer Work Crew graduated on July 9th and celebrated with cake and refreshments. Congratulations, everyone! We’re so proud of you and what you accomplished in only 4 weeks!
Guest Blog Post: Three Exceptional People… by Sapphire Sasha
Three Exceptional People Who Prove Women Can Thrive in Any Industry
It’s undeniable that there are some jobs and industries that many still consider to be unsuitable for women, and a few years ago, the STEM industry was one of them. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of those who saw the potential women could have in these fields, we’ve certainly come a long way in the push for gender equality, and if this growing support for women in STEM industries is any indication of future trends, we should see support for women in the trades grow as well.
Of course, the fight is never easy, and on some days, tradeswomen may find themselves struggling against forces that would see them abandon their jobs and head for more “women-friendly” industries. If today is one of those days, just remember the following women who succeeded in industries others thought they couldn’t thrive in.
1. Jeri Ellsworth
Everyone knows that working in science and mechanical fields can be difficult for women, but simply learning the trades can prove to be a challenge as well. Jeri Ellsworth serves as an inspiration to any girl who’s ever found herself unable to get the support she needs to pursue her interests, having taught herself to program by reading a Commodore 64’s manuals. Her interest shifted to dirt-track race cars when she began driving them with her father, and she designed and assembled her own models and dropped out of high school to continue the business. In an interview with EE Times, she talks about how her interest in computers and engineering never waned, and how she didn’t take formal education in the field until her late 20s, when she attended Walla Walla College to study circuit design for about a year. In the following years, she would go on to develop gaming hardware and is now known for the development of castAR, a system that brings “3D holographic like projections in AR, fully immersive environments in VR”.
2. Kate Carter
Female athletes have certainly benefited from a more accommodating view in major sports, and with current fitness trends being the way they are, many women have also begun to take up running, be it for fitness, health or recreation. However, many still think that taking up hobbies such as running is impossible for women who want to take care of their families. Kate Carter is an amazing example of how women can juggle a family, a full-time job, and a running habit all at once. She is a Lifestyle editor for The Guardian, where she maintains the Running Blog, and in an interview with Tootsa, she says that it was motherhood that actually got her started on running, saying, “To be honest, I’d love to say I had some great inspirational moment – and I’ve certainly always loved watching running and athletics generally – but to be honest it was just practical! I was on maternity leave with my youngest daughter, wanted to get a bit fitter and healthier again, and running was the most efficient way to do that!” Kate runs six days a week and has even competed in the London marathon, and she’s seen as one of the foremost experts on running.
3. Col. Cynthia Tinkham
Perhaps the most male-dominated field is the military, and even as laws have relaxed and allowed women to join the army in service of their country, many still struggle to secure high-ranking positions, and sometimes even the respect of their colleagues. Col. Cynthia Tinkham, however, made history when she became the first woman to have major command in the Oklahoma Army National Guard last year, drawing a victory for women everywhere. However, she told KOCO.com that it wasn’t prestige that she was looking for when she joined the army. “I think it was always just that attraction to public service, I think I was always just geared that way,” she said. She’s been serving the army for over 25 years, and she sees herself serving for much longer. “I love my job. I love what I’m doing and I’ll stay as long as I can. Until it’s time, either I feel it’s time or it’s just time for me to move on and make way for other people,” she said.
Written by Sapphire Sasha
Exclusive for Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Meet OTI Graduate, Catherine Rehm
OTI received a wonderful email from Catherine updating us on her job and how well life was progressing for her, and we were so inspired, we asked her to share a little more about her OTI experience. Thank you, Catherine, and congratulations on finding such a rewarding new path!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I’d heard about Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. (OTI) some years ago, maybe in 2010. At that time, I was working as a bartender in the morning 7:00 am to 2:30 pm. It was a well-known dive bar near the Willamette so we had lots of longshoremen and one woman who always come in. They were really down to earth and great tippers and the subject of OTI came up randomly. I looked in to it at the time, but didn’t feel I could commit to the schedule of OTI’s program. But the idea was stored away for future reference.
I had sort of been thinking about a career in the trades before I heard about OTI’s program. I was aware of the income potential – it definitely piqued my curiosity – but when I followed the thought through to the logical outcome – and considering my background and experience – I didn’t see a way forward for myself at that time.
Just before I actually started OTI’s Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class (TACC), I was trying to make the best of a challenging and low-paying job. I was also suffering through finishing and paying for my college degree and coming to terms with the fact that even getting my diploma wasn’t going to really help me reach my goals professionally in the science world.
The TAC Class was physically challenging. I liked building stuff and learning about different tools. It opened my eyes to a lot of things I hadn’t thought about before: the construction of stuff; how things are put together.
“…OTI fostered an environment of growth and so I found a lot of strengths I didn’t necessarily realize I had within me…”
It was inspirational for me too. Construction skills are widely applicable and problem solving skills are often necessary. It was somewhat like a boot camp. I had my fair share of challenges with interpersonal stuff with some of the other personalities, but OTI fostered an environment of growth and so I found a lot of strengths I didn’t necessarily realize I had within me; and I plugged through. Plus, I had some really awesome positive cohorts slugging through their own stuff at my side and it helped ease growing pains. Simply put though, the Neel sisters and Donna are my true heroes at OTI. Plus a shout out to their supporters.
I landed my interview with my current employer the day after I graduated from OTI and I was hired! I am now a welder/fitter. I love it. I want to continue down this path and I’m seeking to advance my career in this field, perhaps as a certified welding inspector. My employer has programs in place to supplement the cost of additional education and classes/workshops pertaining to knowledge and skill enhancement within my field. Being an OTI alumni totally opened this door and gave me a “solid in” on getting the job.
“Graduating has built a confidence in me and a belief that I can thrive. Not just plod along, but excel. “
There’s a sisterhood and a camaraderie between OTI alums as well as other women in the trades. There aren’t that many of us and we realize that it’s good to have each-others’ backs…and bring others in. Graduating has built a confidence in me and a belief that I can thrive. Not just plod along, but excel. OTI helped me find a strength that I didn’t really see in myself before; they gave me permission to be a bad-ass; to bring out my potential, and to really shine.
I’m now making more money than I’ve ever made before. My partner helped support me getting through the program and now I’m able to do that in turn for him as he looks to reinvent himself. I have a career, where I didn’t before, in a field I would have never imagined myself in but that suits me better than anything I could have imagined. I get to use my problem-solving skills, my high energy level, intellect, people skills, kindness and attention to detail and there are many opportunities for advancement in this field. I actually love going to work! Oh, and I don’t need a gym membership! I’m totally ripped now just from working! It’s putting to use my aptitude for navigating the male-dominated field that I’m in. With confidence, individuality and security.
My new career is not without challenges, but finding an environment where you can be your best self that best suits your skill set is what you should aim for. (Read up on wolves. Pack mentality. The Yin and the Yang too if you want.) If you’ve grown up with brothers, then you know how it is. They’re going to tease you to death. But pretty much to test your mettle. They’re going to be dudes. They’re going to be quiet and standoffish until they get a baseline of trust….literally…you’re not making sudden movements. A little bit of levity goes a long way with the boys. Notice their efforts too. There is a subtlety between playfulness and sniping. There’s a time to shrug it off and a time to take a stand. And if you must take a stand, always go through proper channels. Make sure your “sh*t don’t stink” and bring your BEST game because they’re ALL watching you!!!
Business Member Spotlight: Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Inc.
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.
Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Inc. is one of our partners in this program and we thank them for their contribution to OTI. For 25 years, Madden Industrial Craftsmen has served as the premier staffing provider for industrial businesses in the Pacific Northwest, and has provided quality employment opportunities to our pool of skilled workers. Recently, owner Ken Madden posted this article on LinkedIn about the hiring challenges and solutions for the manufacturing sector.
OTI thanks the staff of Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Inc. for their support of our programming as a business membership program participant!
If you want to learn more about our business membership program, please send an email to dennise@tradeswomen.net for details on how you can be involved.