You Belong Here
You’re a woman with great skills and ambition — even when others don’t always take you seriously. You show up every day ready to do the work, learn more, and take pride in your craft. You love the sense of community the trades offer, even if you haven’t quite found your place in it yet.
Whether you’ve been on the job one day or twenty years, are in training, seeking a pre-apprenticeship program, or exploring what a future in the skilled trades could look like, we’re here for you.
You might be:
- A new or experienced tradeswoman interested in stepping into leadership within your union or company.
- Someone who’s experienced harassment, discrimination, or isolation on the job.
- Seeking steady work hours and the benefits that come with them.
- Unsure how to use your voice to spark change and mobilize support within your workplace or union.
- Looking for a mentor — or ready to be one for someone just starting out.
- Someone who made the leap from another career into the trades and wants to understand how to thrive as a woman in this field.
No matter where you are on your journey, you’re in the right place. The Equity Resource Center offers the tools, inspiration, and support you need to build a better work experience — for yourself and for every woman who comes after you.
We Are Your Advocate
Our goal is to help you feel confident, connected, and empowered in your work. When you engage with us, you’ll gain tools, knowledge and community support to strengthen your voice on and off the job. Every tool, training and resource we share is designed to help you thrive.
Here’s what you can expect:
Guidance to get organized — Learn how to start or strengthen a women’s committee within your union or workplace.
Knowledge of your rights — Stay up to date on workplace protections and equity policies that affect you.
Family-friendly solutions — Access recommendations and examples of policies that make balancing work and life possible — and share them with your union or employer.
Confidence to advocate for yourself — Build the skills and understanding you need to stand up for fair treatment and opportunity.
Ways to get involved — Discover advocacy efforts and movements supporting tradeswomen nationwide — and how to add your voice.
Mentorship framework — Explore models for both giving and receiving mentorship to strengthen our community from within.
Bystander intervention training — Learn strategies to support fellow tradeswomen safely and effectively on the job.
Gwendolen Gibson, 1st Class Rail Equipment Mechanic
“CWIT is not only an organization that provides education and training for women entering the trades, they offer support and resources so organizations across the country can establish their own local programs. CWIT has gone beyond just providing technical support; they have created a space for advocacy and an inclusive community that is accessible to any woman who wants to pursue working in the trades. They are the steady guiding hand that is always welcoming and capable.”
Lark Jackson, ERC Director
“My experience as the director of CWIT’s Equity Resource Center has shown me both the immense talent women bring to the skilled trades and the unnecessary barriers that too often stand in their way. I care deeply about this work because I have seen how access to these careers can change not only individual lives, but entire families and communities. When we help organizations build more inclusive systems — from recruitment to retention — we’re not just improving programs, we’re expanding opportunity. We are here to help.”
How to Build a Strong Women’s Committee
Women’s committees are one of the most powerful tools unions have to bring more women into the trades and help them stay. They create space for connection, support, and problem-solving in an industry where many women are still the only ones on the job. Learn more.
Why Us?
You are the reason we do this work. For more than a decade, we have worked alongside tradeswomen to organize, build strong networks, and create spaces where women in the trades can thrive.
We’ve helped women form committees within their unions, connect with mentors who understand their journey, and find community with others who share their drive and determination.
We understand what you’re up against every day — the challenges of not always being taken seriously, the frustration of unequal access to training or information, and the desire to simply show up, do your job, and take pride in your work. We see you, and we’re working hard to change the industry’s culture for you and with you.
When you connect with us, you gain a partner that listens, advocates, and acts — providing resources and concrete solutions to help you navigate the challenges of the trades, advocate for yourself and others, and shape a stronger future for all women in the industry.
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Centering Equity in Workforce Development
How CWIT’s Equity Resource Center supports community organizations in building women’s pathways into the trades