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Last fall, three UA Local 393 members – Lisa Long, Sabrina Sharp and Aster Tseng (pictured left to right) – traveled to Chicago and joined over 1,900 tradeswomen for the annual Women Build Nations Conference.

The conference is a space for networking and collaboration among tradeswomen from across the country spanning from apprentices to retirees. There has been record-breaking attendance; growth of women in leadership within unions and on the job; and an increase in women entering apprenticeship. These mark palpable steps toward a more inclusive industry.

Attendees discuss what we’ve accomplished and how to better lead within our unions and communities to ensure women have equitable opportunities to enter, succeed, and lead in the construction industry.

Lisa Long, UA Local 393 Steamfitter/Pipefitter, said she loves attending. “Women are excited about being in the trades,” she said, “And the biggest challenge navigating such a maledominated industry is just trying to get people to believe you can do the job.”​

Apprentice Aster Tseng, UA Local 393 Plumber, added, “The first time I showed up on a job, the guys thought I was there to deliver paperwork. People always ask me why I’m a plumber because it isn’t a common occupation for women. I hope that will change in the future.”

Aster and Lisa spoke about women they met who have programs to support other women in their unions. “They check up on each other. They call apprentices and just ask them, ‘How’s work, how’s school, and how’s life?’ If there’s an obstacle, they help.” This kind of support is crucial to recruit and retain women in the trades.

The most common struggle women reported is visibility – often being the only woman on a job site and having to prove yourself over and over again to show male colleagues that you belong and that you’re capable.

“If I knew other women who worked in the trades before I joined,” Aster reflects, “I probably would have joined a lot earlier.“ It’s intimidating to be the only one, but as we begin to deconstruct the preconceived notion of who does this kind of work, the more accessible we make it for new women considering the trades.​