Top 11 List of Trades For Women

Undoubtedly, it is very obvious that the world is evolving and it has affected everything including traditional occupations and expectations within the workforce. Of course, the days gender roles are a thing of the past. Women now do what men do, there are restrictions anymore. The only restriction is self-restriction.

During World War II, men went for war as a result of that women took over the works or jobs that men left behind. This was how women started to have an established right in the workforce as important employees. The woman that paved way for this is Rosie the Riveter but there are still more areas to cover to attain workplace equality.

In the United States of America, women make up almost half of the workforce but they’re yet not fully represented in the skilled trade areas.

In this article, we will be talking about top trades for women that are high in demand. So make sure you read this article to the end.

According to The U.S. Bureau of Labor, it says in one of their articles:

The rapid rise in women’s labor force participation was a major development in the labor market during the second half of the 20th century. Overall, women’s labor force participation increased dramatically from the 1960s through the 1980s, before slowing in the 1990s.

After reaching a peak in 1999, labor force participation among women began a gradual decline. This decline accelerated following the Great Recession of 2007–09 until the participation rate hit a recent low in 2015 at 56.7 percent.

Women’s involvement in the labor market changed in several notable ways since the 1940s as other socioeconomic factors were also shifting. First, women became much more likely to pursue higher levels of education: the proportion of women ages 25 to 64 in the labor force who held a college degree nearly quadrupled from 1970 to 2017, whereas the proportion of men with a college degree about doubled over that time.

Women also have become more likely to work full time and year round. In addition, women’s earnings as a proportion of men’s earnings have grown over time: women working full time earned 62 percent of what men earned in 1979 and 82 percent in 2017.

Are Skilled Trades Good Career Choices for Women?

Of course, Skilled trades are good career choices for women as they are for men. There is a popular belief that skilled trades are mainly for men and women stand no chance of getting involved, this is not the truth. In skilled trades, employers seek very skilled personnel who are knowledgeable of what they are doing and women are equally fit to work in those positions.

Here are the reasons the skilled trades industry is a good choice for women:

• Job Security is guaranteed: This is due to the high demand for jobs that help in building, maintaining, and sustaining basic infrastructure in the nation.
• It requires less schooling: Women don’t need to acquire a 5-year degree certificate from a well-established university.
• These trades are very interesting: If only you like the idea of working with your hands. Each day on this job can be different and challenging at times. It can be rewarding if you thrive in such a workplace as a woman.
• Shortage of Skilled-Trade Employees: There is currently a shortage of skilled trades workers in the United States, and employers are eager for qualified candidates. A majority of the workers in the skilled-trades industries today are middle-aged and nearing the end of their careers, which will only increase the demand. So, how will employers fill these positions? They’re looking to the underrepresented female population.
• Diversity in the workplace is essential for a well-rounded company. Different viewpoints and alternative ideas make for excellent results — companies with a diverse work environment outperform those with a limited demographic.

Hindrances For Women In Skilled Trades To Overcome

Despite the positive reasons females should get involved in skilled trades, there are a lot of hindrances to this. The following are the challenges women face in the workforce.

• Sexism/sexual discrimination: This is the top challenge women in trades need to overcome in order to a successful career. Some women, even with all the required certifications and qualifications, still find themselves behind a desk instead of being in the field due to sexism. One of the ways to overcome sexism is for organizations to create and enforce policies on this subject. If this is strictly enforced, then more women will definitely be interested in trade careers.
• Sexual harassment: There have been a lot of reports of sexual harassment by women in the workforce. They have the challenge of dealing with the unwanted advances by male coworkers.
• Equal pay: Females earn two times lesser than men earn. Some organizations pay their workers base on gender. Payment should be related to the position being held and gender. This will encourage more women into the workforce.
• Finding a work/life balance:  Finding work can be difficult for female and getting a  flexible job that can be more difficult for working moms. Working moms needs a Work/life balance is one of the most difficult issues facing working moms. The guilt of not being fully present at home weighs just as heavily as the guilt related to not bringing in needed income. Companies with flexible work policies pair perfectly with working moms.
• Other issues female in trades face includes hostility and jealousy, assumptions from their male co-workers that women can’t do a “man’s” job well, and also the lack of mentors.

Top Trades for Women

1. Construction Technology

This is a very interesting sector. Females should undergo training in this sector. Some of the responsibilities as a construction technician are installations of wires, pipes for electrical, plumbing networks, interpretations of construction drawings, walls, floors and ceilings framing, crane operator, general carpenter, etc.

2. Makeup Artist

There are many possibilities for this trade which includes making up for people for special occasions like weddings, birthday, parties, etc.

3. Construction Management

This is a good trade for women. It doesn’t require much manpower.As a construction manager must be able to manage a construction crew, know and understand safety codes, etc.

4. Dental Hygienist

This is one of the highest-paying in-demand jobs for women. The work includes cleaning of the patient’s teeth, checking the patient’s overall oral health, giving of fluoride treatments and sealants in order to strengthen the teeth and also prevent cavities in the patient’s gums.

5. Industrial Designer

This trade entails the development of designs for any form of manufactured products such as cars, toys, furniture, and so on. You can an average of $72,420 per annual as an industrial designer.

6.  Automotive Service Technician

This is one of the highest-paying jobs for women and it isn’t mandatory you have a degree. You can undergo a certification course in automotive service technology. This trade involves repairing and maintaining the different systems in an Automotive.

7. Industrial Maintenance Mechanic

This work involves the installation, inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and diagnosing mechanical problems in types of equipment (small and big). Also, you will advise the company about the purchases of equipment and machinery used in the company. For you to get into this job, you must have knowledge about machinery and also be up-to-date with the current technology and maintenance procedures.

8. Plumber 

I order to get access to this work, you will undergo an apprenticeship for about 2 – 4 years. By doing that, you will gain a lot of experience and knowledge about plumbing. The average salary for a plumber ranges from $30,021 to $120,375 a year. 

9. Wind Turbine Service Technician (Average Annual Salary: $70,000)

All you need to do in this job is to maintain and repair the wind turbines. Although this work can be physically demanding that shouldn’t be a hindrance to getting involved. To get involved as a wind turbine service technician, you need to undergo a 2-year program associate’s degree in a trade school. You will learn to capture the wind and convert it into energy. The average salary for wind turbine service technicians ranges between $35,000 and $85,000 a year.

10. Architect or Civil Drafter