r/BlueCollarWomen

I originally posted this in r/bluecollar and the men in that sub were ye of little faith saying it is impossible to have a 2 blue collar household w kids.

Little bit about me: i (32F) got my class A CDL in 2023 and then unexpectedly became pregnant shortly after and had my first baby May 2024. Long story short I no longer have that long distance trucking job. My husband (32M) was working in a factory but applied to the plumbers and pipefitters local and is now a first year apprentice (2026) after a year of being a helper, while i have been a sahm since my son was born.

I am considering joining the operators union but my husband is worried that we will not have enough time for our son (2 years old now) inbetween trade school and work. But we are barely making it work on his meager apprentice pay and scraping by for 5 years waiting for him to top out seems unnecessary when i am able bodied. Daycare isn't particulary my first choice but itd only be a year or so until he starts school.

So, blue collar ladies are any of you married to a blue collar worker and do you have kids? How are you making it work? Or id love to even hear from any single moms as to how you make it happen, working the crazy hours of being blue colllar union.

Thanks!

I dont know if anyone here works for them but im moving and starting job as structural welder with GD Electric boat at beginning of year
Ive asked and only one person has answered on another page but are facial piercings allowed there if anyone knows? i csnt find any info about it
I just got a vertical eyebrow and vertical labret and want to make sure im allowed to wear them to work
also have tattoos but im assuming those are find because 90% of trades people have tattoos

Thanks

I am about to apply to the IBEW. I want out of corporate for good. They have a low voltage route and an inside wireman route. I’m thinking about going inside wireman but I’m afraid to get electrocuted. How much of a risk do you think it really is?

Yall, I’m 36 and prob the oldest person on my team at work. Our manager and the other guys go out for breakfast apparently even though the other guys secretly hate the manager (like in his 50s) lol. Everyone else is like 28,23,34,19.

The ages matter to me bc I don’t know if it’s bc I’m getting older and TRULY know what matters in the workplace but like literally no. Why would I spend my unpaid time with our dick manager. I’m also vegan (it’s been like 20 years) and don’t feel like explaining it to them.

Do you all kind of seclude yourself from the guys? I totally understand that like I’m missing out on some kiss ass points but I don’t know… I’d rather I guess go home than spend time trying to dodge their HR violating jokes.

I interact with them one on one but not as a group.

I love my job, I have fun with what I do and I like that I get to learn so much. But it feels like my lead just doesn't take me seriously. I don't even really know what it is, but no matter what he just doesn't. I spent a while just asking to be trained, and eventually I said fuck it. Lately I'm just trying to keep my head down and focus on what's in front of me. If I get promoted then cool, if I learn something new then cool. I'm not necessarily bad at my job. I do better with the panels than the switchgears, but in general I'm at least average.

I had mentioned an assignment I had, it was a big panel, and he asked "You did that?" As if I shouldn't have/shouldn't have been able to. Even though he helped me with it, and he was there the whole week I was working on it. That was the first time in so long that I felt like I was actually doing well on something, and like I was learning again. Especially because my current assignments are pretty easy and repetitive, so I'm not really challenged anymore.

It honestly just feels like a reminder that he doesn't like me, or doesn't see anything in me. And that really sucks sometimes because at the very least I'm trying my best. Everyone else will take a chance with me, let me try, give me positive feedback. But somehow I'm stuck with the only guy who wants nothing to do with my improvement.

Hey ladies, I’m 26f and seriously considering starting an apprenticeship this year. I’m from an agricultural background but sadly farming’s more of a hobby these days than a way to make money.

The thing is, I’m not fully sure which which trade to pick. Ideally I’d want to do one that isn’t very hard on the body, and one where I could eventually be self-employed.
So far I was thinking of becoming an electrician, or plumber.
Landscaping is probably the one that interests me most, however I am UK based and since it rains a lot here I don’t know how viable work would be during the winter, hence why I was thinking plumbing or becoming an electrician.

I’m all ears, if you do something completely different and love it I’d love to hear from you. If you’re a plumber or an electrician, what’s your average day like, how enjoyable is your work, would you pick this trade again?

Thanks ladies!

Hey guys! Im want to make a quick post since im interested in becoming an electrician! Im currently a 17 year old girl and a senior in NYC. To be honest im pretty bad at math because I never took the time to actually study things simple as algebra (this will be important later) My highschool offers a program by a government technical school called COOP Tech and im currently taking a shop class. Anyways that being said I found out that their school is free of charge and aim at people 17-21 and one of the trades they teach is electrical work. Even though its free I see alot of people online saying to get straight to an apprenticeship. I think I heard local 3 is opening for people to join the apprenticeship. Although I cant joint an apprenticeship yet since im not of age it states they will be looking for people who are great in math and or science.
I just want to get some advice as what you guys think is the best choice for a teen who is able to choose these options. I could also do community college and have an electrical program but thays like my plan B. Thanks for reading yall!

Has anyone here worked as a MoW worker on a railroad? From what I hear they are extremely male, even more so than regular construction. Nevertheless there are some women out there doing it for sure - the craft union even has high-level female officials. I’m just wondering if anyone has done it here, and if so what was your experience with the work and with the environment as a woman?

I'm so done with animation.

It's become completely unstable. Contracts go for only so long and the gaps between them-even longer! I can't live like this. I thought by 33 I would be happily settled in my career, but it looks like now I have to completely restart my life.

People always say "work in the trades, it will never be taken over by AI" so, I'm looking for advice/direction from experienced women in the trades on what I should do. I am a girl's girl, but I am not afraid to get my hands dirty. I love good honest physical labour, but not anything back-breaking. I have a high school diploma and my only post-secondary education is a Bachelors in Animation, but I also have the sheer effing will to learn something new and better my life overall.

Ladies, what trade would you recommend for me that pays pretty decent, is relatively "easy" to get started in (ie no expensive schooling) and that is not entirely back-breaking physical labour? I'm even ready to move back to BC if that's where the best trade jobs are.

**PS: I heard Electrical is a trade that we're seeing more women in, but I don't think that's something I can do. It looks way too technical and too risky if you make a mistake **

About to leave my great job that I hate to get half the pay as a tree service groundie. I wanna be a climbing arborist. I’m 35. Yall am I delusional to think I can make this work and that it’ll be worth it for me in the long run?

So, this might be a long one so buckle up

I (26F) am so lost and I think I just need some advice.

For the last 2 years I have been trying to become a plumber. I have been working as a Pharmacy Technician for the last 8 years. I have worked retail, outpatient and in the hospital and I just hate it. At one point I finished my prereqs for nursing and I just couldn't stomach the idea of becoming a nurse. I just knew it would take a mental tool on me. I just hate healthcare in general and I'm so tired. Especially after working during COVID, it has just killed any of my desire to continue working in this environment.

I worked on passing my aptitude test and eventually secured an interview at the union that's near me. The first interview I got mad and yelled and the second interview I tried to keep my cool but ended up fumbling (literally it was pathetic I was stuttering horribly). I was told I should look into other trades instead, but I really want to do this one for some weird reason idk it's like calling my name.

After the second interview I sort of fell back into the mindset of well healthcare isn't the worst I could go back to school and push and become a pharmacist. I know that Im smart enough to do it but I just hate it. Im in school right now and Im just so blank.

I think I know that it is either keep pushing through school and become a pharmacist or make a drastic life change and work in a different trade and reapply to the union after a couple of years. I'm just scared either way. I think Im scared to be uncomfortable and nervous that I could make a mistake. I'm not really proficient in tool use but I thought the whole point of working in the trades was to learn how to do the job, right?

I'm sorry if this post sounds like a bunch of word salad. I'm frustrated with myself because I know what I need to do but it's just hard and Im worried.

I’m waiting to hear my interview date from both and I am curious if one has more transferable skills or if I should just go to the one that’s closer to my house? I want there to be opportunity to have my own company someday so I want to make sure I’m entering the place that will allow me to learn the most variation I can that is in highest demand.
I am in New Jersey and my dream is to live somewhere I could have more access to New York City

I'll be in Houston at the conference (for the first time) and would love to meet up. I'm a plumber in Local 142.

So I have been out of the trades for a number of years due to being a single mom of a child with special needs. Got my red seal in 2018. An opportunity came up and I have been working back for about 3 weeks now. It’s been an adjustment physically after being at a desk job for years. But I am happy and grateful to be back and want to be there.

Last wednesday I fell backwards off a 4 foot wall. Honestly, just a bit sore. Landed on my side/back/hip, maybe a bit of a sore neck. Immediately told my boss and said I was ok. Asked for some shorter ladders to get over these half walls to do work. Just frustrated and sore, but not seriously injured, didn’t call in, worked the rest of the week.

Anyway, fast forward to friday, was chatting with the safety guy from a different company, same site. Just telling him about what happened and that I was a little sore and should go see my chiropractor (who I see regularly for adjustments when I’m sore or stiff). My coworker (another older female) came up and joined us. I told her I was just telling him about my fall. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and like ten mins later my boss calls the safety guy freaking out asking if he was going to get blindsided by a claim and that I had been out of trades for years etc etc. Safety guy said that the fall was just something I had mentioned casually in conversation and spoke to him for a few minutes. He got off the phone and I was like WTF?! He told me, not everyone is your friend, referring to the coworker who had just been there.

I want to be at this job, I want to be working in trades. I’m a single mom and have no intention of screwing up this opportunity. I am very open and honest and sometimes overshare but didn’t think I had anything to hide or presented as having ulterior motives. Now I feel like I am being watched, scrutinized, possibly thrown under the bus to make coworker look better (?). I have been busting my butt since I got back. Spent a grand getting my tickets up to date, bought a $400 pair of boots, only had one paycheck so far and I am pissed off.

Are they unhappy with my work? Will they let me go before my 3 month probation? Is this just a misunderstanding? Do I just have to keep my mouth shut about shit? Does this coworker have it out for me? My confidence is shaken, but I felt happy and comfortable and accepted. Now I feel like I have to prove myself again and show that I know what I’m doing. It’s been weighing on me all weekend. I just want to work and be supported and respected. I’m a friendly person but I guess I won’t try connecting with coworkers anymore or telling them anything about myself. Doing my best to earn my keep readjusting to being back in trades. Feeling pretty disheartened at the moment.