What We Do
We offer intensive customized technical assistance for industry stakeholders, with an aim to:
- Increase the number of women in apprenticeships and skilled trades jobs in construction, manufacturing, transit, and utilities industries.
- Promote safe and respectful work environments through training that aligns with federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws and regulations.
- Develop and implement plans for maximizing women’s entry and retention in apprenticeships and skilled trades.
- Increase leadership development opportunities for tradeswomen and build the capacity of current and emerging tradeswomen’s groups.
Who We Support
We help people who want to improve their outreach, recruitment, assessment, training, and retention practices to support women in the skilled trades:
- Pre-apprenticeship programs
- Registered apprenticeship programs
- Unions
- Job training programs
- Contractors/subcontractors
- Employers
- Workforce development boards
- Emerging tradeswomen’s groups
- Local/state/federal agencies
- Career and technical education program developers
Technical Assistance
Do you want to recruit and retain more women in the skilled trades? Our technical assistance (TA) can help industry stakeholders build their workforce capacity and offer targeted guidance, training, and resources through an equity lens. We help industry stakeholders strengthen their ability to conduct outreach, recruitment, assessment, training, and retention of women in the skilled trades.
Why it matters
Women currently represent only 3.9% of the skilled construction trades workforce.
This data shows that resource sharing, training, strong policies and practices, and accountability measures are needed to ensure that not only women but all workers in the skilled trades can thrive in safe and respectful work environments. By addressing systemic barriers, fostering sustainable workforce practices, and implementing effective strategies, CWIT’s Equity Resource Center seeks to help industry stakeholders create long-lasting opportunities for women in the skilled trades.
Held to a different standard
Of 2,635 tradeswomen and nonbinary tradespeople surveyed in 2021, nearly 48% reported that they are held to a different standard than their male co-workers and face discrimination.
Harassment and discrimination
In a 2022 study of women working in manufacturing, 90% of women stated that they experienced forms of discrimination or harassment during the last five years.
Statement in Response to Trump Administration’s Elimination of WANTO Grants and Women’s Bureau Programs
The Uphill Battle to Bring Women into Construction Jobs Could Be Lost under Trump
