Transcript Recruiting and Retaining Women in the Trades

Recruiting a Diverse
Pool of Applicants
Connie Ashbrook
Executive Director
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
503-335-8200 x 22
[email protected]
www.tradeswomen.net
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. (or OTI) is a
non-profit dedicated to promoting the
success of women in the trades through
education, leadership and mentorship.
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
 Started in 1989.
 Grew into a nine person
non-profit.
 Created to help women
and minorities be
successful in the
construction, mechanical
and utility trades.
 Promotes economic,
gender and racial
justice.
Overcoming Barriers
Why we do what we do
 With women representing only about 3%
of the construction industry, we still face
barriers on the jobsite.
 At the same time, trades careers (thru
apprenticeship) offer living wage careers.
 We know that if more women can access
these jobs, they can earn enough to
support themselves and their families.
Occupational Segregation
Traditional Jobs for Women
Occupation
% Female
Avg.
Wages
Secretary
96.1%
$15.40
Receptionist
93.6%
$12.57
Waitress
73.2%
$9.77
Cashier
75.5%
$9
Non-Traditional Jobs for Women
Occupation
% Female
Avg. Wages
Truck Driver
8.9%
$17.72
Mechanic
1.6%
$19.07
Firefighter
4.8%
$24.25
Construction
Trades
3%
$22.71
(PDX area)
We want to create better access to living-wage
careers.
Nontraditional occupations are those in which women comprise 25 percent or less of total employed.
National stats: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Annual Averages 2008.
Portland area stats: May 2008 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
Trades Offer Girls Options (TOGO)
Our Programs
 Educates young
women about all
the career
opportunities in the
building,
construction, and
utility trades.
Tradeswomen Organized for Outreach,
Leadership and Support (TOOLS)
Our Programs
 Helps
tradeswomen
advocate for equal
representation in
the trades
including gender
justice and racial
justice.
Women in Trades Career Fair
Our Big Event
 Annual career fair
encouraging
women and girls
to explore highskill, living wage
careers in the
construction
trades.
Pathways Program
Our Programs
Helping women “get the
skills to pay the bills”
with our FREE seven
week pre-apprenticeship
class.
Trades and Apprenticeship
Career Class
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
• TACC is a state-certified, official
pre-apprenticeship
• 7 weeks including classroom
instruction, hands-on training,
field trips, green building,
OSHA 10 hr construction safety,
fitness, HAZWOPER certification
and environmental justice.
What We Ask of Participants
 Treat the class like you would a job. We
evaluate you for work based on our short time
with you.
 Be willing to accept feedback!
 So show up on time--we have a strict
attendance policy.
 Work hard.
 Be an ally for other women going through the
class.
 Commit to staying in contact with us after you
graduate.
Unique Curriculum
Elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Training at 7 weeks is short + intense + compact.
One day a week of hands-on construction skills
practice.
One day a week of field trips to construction job sites,
employers and apprenticeship programs.
New 8 hr Green Building module thanks to EPA.
Strong after-class supports.
Continuous improvement.
Girls program feeds into pre-apprenticeship.
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Training at 7 weeks/3 days a
week is short + intense +
compact.
 Relatively
inexpensive for us to
run.
 Therefore can be
free for participants.
 Women can fit it in
their schedules.
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One day a week of hands-on construction skills
practice builds women’s comfort with tools and
materials.
 Run like a construction
site.
 Female instructors from
industry also are role
models.
 1-5 instructor/student ratio
means lots of individual
attention.
 Weekly
evaluation/feedback on
student performance to
industry standards.
 Non-profit job sites mean
students give back to
community.
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Instructor Amy Neel
teaching sheetrock at
Tabor Commons
TAC Class working at Elks Lodge
One day a week of field trips to
construction job sites, employers and
apprenticeship programs.
 Connects students to
industry ; familiarity =
comfort level.
 Reality check for
industry conditions.
 In-kind contribution
from industry helps
keep our costs low.
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8-hr Green Building module thanks to
EPA.
 New as of this
summer.
 Connected to field
trips and hands-on
day practice.
Full curriculum
available upon
request!
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Strong after-class supports.
 Funding for tools, boots,
childcare.
 Networking for mentoring,
job leads, social support:
class leaders, social hour,
Facebook, volunteering,
policy advocacy.
 Re-employment
assistance.
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TAC Class January 2009
Annual Recruitment Results of
Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
• 1500 women and girls
•
•
•
•
•
come to our Women in
Trades Career Fair.
900 women call us to
find out about the trades.
700 women come to our
orientations.
180 women apply to
enter our program.
96 women graduate.
50 women entered
trades jobs.
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Three Principles of
Effective Recruitment
1. Repeated contact with your intended
2.
3.
audience.
Clear next step for them to take.
Relationships for trust and word of
mouth recruiting.
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Who’s being
targeted here?
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Images are powerful.
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Five Key Actions to
Recruit for Diversity
1. A marketing plan that reaches your desired
2.
3.
4.
5.
audience with a message targeted to them.
Nurture diverse applicants.
Keep diverse applicants connected to your
industry.
Feed the pipeline by reaching the younger
generation.
Build relationships with those your desired
audience trusts.
Action One
Reach Your Desired Audience
with a Targeted Message
• Target with the image itself.
• Target through where it is posted or sent
or presented.
• Target by who gives the message.
• People need to hear/see the message
more than once in order to respond.
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Target with the image itself. Target by who gives the message.
Target through where
it is posted or sent or
presented.
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People need to hear/see the message
more than once in order to respond.
• People need to hear/see the message more
than once in order to respond.
• People need to hear/see the message more
than once in order to respond.
• People need to hear/see the message more
than once in order to respond.
Action Two
Nurture Your Female and
Minority Applicants
• Have women and
•
minorities from your
industry be part of
orientations.
Inform applicants that
women and minorities
are welcome and
successful in your
industry during
orientation or
application.
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Action Two
Nurture Your Female and
Minority Applicants
• Arrange a follow up phone call to them from
females or minorities from your industry.
• Encourage those who do not score well to
apply again through a letter or phone call;
call or write again periodically or just before
your next opening.
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Action Three
Keep Female and Minority Applicants
Connected to Your Industry
• Ask your employers to hire the best female
and minority candidates in entry-level
positions such as material handler,
warehouse or yard helper so that they gain
skills and remain interested.
• If your industry has a women’s group or
minority caucus, send the applicant an
invitation to their next meeting.
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Action Four
Feed the Pipeline by
Reaching the Younger Generation
• Adopt a school that
•
has a large minority
population, and
sponsor their team.
Teach workshops
about your industry
at schools; taught by
women and
minorities from your
industry.
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Action Four
Feed the Pipeline by
Reaching the Younger Generation
• Host field trips to
your offices or to
job sites for
groups of young
women and
minority youth.
Action Four
Feed the Pipeline by
Reaching the Younger Generation
• Provide summer
internships for
high school
aged young
women and
minority youth.
Action Five
Build relationships with those
your audience trusts
• Join organizations that represent various
•
•
minority groups such as the Urban League,
Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, Tribal organizations, etc.
Send a representative to speak about your
industry and opportunities.
Attend and support events such as dinners,
pow-wows, etc.
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Example: 5-Step Marketing Plan
for Reaching Diverse Applicants
1. Ads featuring photos of women and minorities
2.
from your industry with a message inviting
women and minorities to apply – run 4-6 times
a year.
Create poster and brochure with photos of
women and minorities from your industry and
mail 4-6 times a year to community groups,
employment offices, libraries, community
centers, etc.
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Marketing Plan continued…
3. Brochures and cover letter mailed to women
4.
5.
and minorities in your industry several times
annually asking them to refer their family
and friends – take advantage of word of
mouth.
Post images of women and minorities and a
welcoming message on your web site.
Staff your career fair booth and orientations
with women and minorities from your
industry.
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Estimated Cost of Sample Plan
Professional photographs of 2-3 women
and minorities from your industry.
$300
Design of poster, brochure & ad
$3,000
Printing 10,000 posters & brochures
$1500
Run display ads 4 x annually
$1,000
Postage & materials to mail to outreach sites
(4 x annually x 250 sites x $2.25)
$2,250
Web site design
$2,000
Wages to staff career day 4 x annually
$580
Membership fees with 3 minority organizations
$900
ESTIMATED TOTAL: $11,530
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Men from the Trades Are Very Important
Mentors for Women Entering Industry
Women Linemen at the Women in Trades Career Fair
Photo courtesy NW Oregon Labor Press
Thank you!
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