Talking About Skilled Trades With Women Professionals

Three women in skilled trades share their career paths, challenges, and advice for other women in the industry.

What advice would you give to women looking to breaking into the industry? 

With it being a male-dominated industry, do not be intimidated by a lack of background knowledge. The only bad questions are the ones you don’t ask. When I started in this industry, I didn’t have any type of equipment background. I would not have gotten to where I am at today if I was worried about sounding naïve or uninformed when asking questions. 

In what ways do women play a vital role in the industry? 

Many women tend to be excellent at organizing and setting structure. Organization is key to running any department efficiently. Once you have a system in place, it makes tracking a job or order easier from start to finish through your department. If any problems arise, it becomes easier to find where things went wrong because you have a set system in place. 

What skills do you utilize every day, technical or otherwise? 

Multitasking is crucial. Each day can be a balancing act between fielding calls from customers with equipment that has problems, helping new customers get the right piece of equipment for the task at hand, maintaining appropriate workload for employees, and overseeing the logistics of the store while maintaining budgetary goals. 

How have you navigated the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder? 

It’s a work in progress. I have learned to ask the advice or opinion of others when needed and to stand my ground when I feel that my approach is best. I have been very fortunate to work under a great leadership team that has helped me to develop the skills and instill confidence along the way. Do not be intimidated if you are the only female in the room. Know that your unique view of the problem could be an advantage. Ask questions when needed, listen, and be firm on your stance when appropriate.  

What does the future of the workforce in your industry look like to you?

I think we will see continued diversification. While hands-on skills aren’t going to disappear, as equipment and technology advance, the scope of what we do and how we do it will continue to evolve.  

What advice would you give to women looking to breaking into the industry? 

Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t belong. If you have the want and the will, you do belong. Learn to take criticism in a positive way. Learn to love the dirt and grime of the job – it makes it much easier.

In what ways do women play a vital role in the industry? 

Women tend to bring a new perspective. We think through jobs in a different way that is invaluable.

What skills do you utilize every day, technical or otherwise?

Communication is the number one skill required in all fields. Operating the equipment is useless if you don’t know what needs to be done. Also, I am constantly aware of my surroundings, tapping into the ability to see everything around myself and keep seeing it.

How have you navigated the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder?

I don’t take things personally; I also work hard to earn respect and keep it. Demand equal rights, but not special privileges.

What does the future of the workforce in your industry look like to you? 

Technology has come a long way, but human experience and skill will always be needed. The future workforce will need a wide range of skills, including knowledge of computers, new materials, and the ability to be adaptable to change and to understand how to use new equipment with advanced technology.

What advice would you give to women looking to break into the industry? 

The first thing I would tell other women is that there is a ton of opportunity for you. There has never been a better time to join the trades. At Housecall Pro, we work with tens of thousands of home service businesses owned and led by women. Find a mentor, someone who has seen successes and failures and can help you navigate the challenges ahead.  It’s worth noting that your mentor doesn’t have to be a woman.  

The second thing is make sure you know why you are doing this. Why are you drawn to home services? What is your purpose? It will be your guidepost as you face adversity or question why you are doing this.

In what ways do women play a vital role in the industry? 

Women’s roles in the home services are endless. We can be sole proprietors, co-owners with our spouses or family members, managers, or employees of successful businesses.  However, it’s essential that we take advantage of our superpowers — we’re masters of the customer experience and know the end consumers better than anyone else. 

Women drive 70-80 percent of all consumer purchases and are the decision-makers of the house. Women are uniquely equipped to think about the entire consumer experience — from booking a job online to doing the work to paying the bill — so we speak the language of the customer. Don’t under-estimate how important this is.

What skills do you utilize every day, technical or otherwise? 

Women bring a lot of unique skills to the table when it comes to building successful home service businesses. We are natural communicators, mediators, and educators. Also, for many of us with families, we have had to become experts at multitasking and juggling competing priorities. These skills are widely advantageous across marketing, sales, doing the work, and dealing with customers. 

How have you navigated the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder?

Firstly, gender bias is real, but not always purposeful. A lot of it can come from unconscious bias. So I try to assume positive intent.  

Secondly, remember that women are in this together. Often women can find themselves as the only woman at their workplace. And then when another woman comes along, it can be a competition of who is the “best woman.” It’s about how you can help women who come after you. That’s why we started our Lady Pros community. It’s a community by women, for women, in home services who can help carve a path for those who follow.  

What does the future of the workforce in your industry look like to you?

I think women are uniquely positioned to lead in our industry in the future. There already is a shortage of tradespeople. There is unlimited opportunity for women who want to get into the trades and build and lead great businesses. The standouts will be those that are customer-centric. Technology will even the playing field between big and small companies, allowing everyone to put the customer first. What will win is a great customer experience. 

What advice would you give to women looking to break into the industry?

The advice that I would give is to be assertive and have the confidence in your abilities. Embrace every opportunity to challenge the status quo, have the courage to speak up, and do not be afraid to be heard. 

In what ways do women play a vital role in the industry?

In every career field, diversity plays a crucial part in the success of the organization. However, implementing female leaders in the HVAC industry allows for different perspectives on heating and cooling. As females, we do not see simple machinery. We can create and enhance our quality of life by providing the perfect air to every home and business. 

What skills do you utilize every day, whether technical or otherwise?

My first skill that I utilize daily is my passion for leadership development by coaching, mentoring, and developing top producers. Another daily skill is having a keen understanding of business at all levels in order to develop, deliver, and manage strategic planning to rapidly grow sales revenue and sustain customer satisfaction. 

How have you navigated the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry, and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder?

I have been able to navigate the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry by understanding my self-worth, playing to my strengths, utilizing mentorship, and owning my career choices. If you don’t have the confidence in your own self-worth, then no one else will. If you lack a skill to succeed, search for those answers, and do not let anything hold you back in order to distinguish yourself from others. My further recommendations are to be committed in being resilient and taking chances while being dedicated to developing the culture for additional women to be successful in the industry.  

What does the future of the workforce in your industry look like to you?

As we continue to look in the future of the workforce, I see us continuously evolving within our industry. We currently have women who are technicians in the field installing equipment, women in our manufacturing facilities building our product, and women leading our sales organizations in senior leadership positions. I can see this percentage increasing if we continue to drive change confidently and empower other female leaders to advance their careers. This will only progress when we as women continue to embrace our power, confidence, and voices within the industry.