Steamfitter

Union member for 28 years

How did you become a steamfitter? After having worked in marketing for several years, I discovered that I was not a desk job kind of person. The favorite part of my day was when I had the opportunity to work with engineering  and QA. Hands-on product development piqued my interest much more than writing marketing channel reports that nobody read anyway!

I figured it was too late to go back and get an engineering degree. Also, it seemed like many of the engineers were bound to their desks, too. When I found out about the steamfitting trade, it sounded like a perfect fit. I would be paid for each hour I worked, instead of never-awarded comp time for weekends travelling and working at trade shows. When I figured out my hourly pay in marketing, versus my hourly pay in the union, plus super benefits, it became a no-brainer to me.

Why should women join unions? The union eliminated all pay discrimination that was rampant in Silicon Valley tech firms back then, and even now!

Any tips for future tradeswomen? Go in with a desire to learn as much as possible about the technical aspects of the job. The apprenticeship program provides some demands, so it is necessary to buckle down in class. Don’t be afraid to ask questions on the job. Stay healthy. You don’t have to carry two lengths of 4-inch pipe up six floors like everyone says they used to do in the good old days. We do have equipment to take care of that. Learn to read blueprints. Maintain a level of professionalism that reflects the pride you have in your work, your coworkers, and your union. And, importantly, do pack a sense of humor into every toolbox you carry!