One Woman Begins Her Pathway To Success
By Amy Miller, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
"Oregon Tradeswomen Network Newsletter"
March 2000
Profile provided by Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.
Two months ago Mary Zimnicki was working as a Dental Assistant. At the same time she was also considering a career as an electrician. She came in contact with the Pathways program and met with Donna Hammond, Project Manager last October. Mary let the staff know she was interested gaining trades work experience; perhaps as a Material Handler.
After being contacted by Pathways Job Developer, Denise Muliro, with a hot job referral, Mary made a fast decision, applied and was hired by Westwood-Swinerton as a construction clean-up laborer. Since mid-January, Mary has been working at a HUD housing development construction site in Orchards, WA. Taking the job meant a cut in pay resulting in sacrifices Mary says "hopefully will be worth it." (A union Inside Electrician apprentice starts at $11.18 per hour. The journey level wage is $23.76 per hour.)
When asked what factors led to her decision to accept this position and leave the comfort and stability of her previous profession, Mary said she was hesitant at first because the job was in construction and wasn't a Material Handler. However, after speaking to her interviewer at Westwood-Swinerton and Denise at OT, she knew it would be good experience and a stepping stone on her Pathway to a trades career.
Mary says she is responsible for cleaning up debris and watching out for safety issues on the job site. She said she knows the work she does is important and is a learning experience for her. She has been observing what the sub-contractors do and enjoys watching the project as a whole move through different stages toward completion. The best things about the job are working outside, having professional, helpful and encouraging co-workers and learning about construction materials.
Mary expects this job to last several more months. She plans to apply for a union electrical apprenticeship in April. Mary said the support she receives from Oregon Tradeswomen and the Pathways staff is "really helpful."
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Other Profiles of Women Working in Cool Jobs*
* Work4Women defines "Cool Jobs" as nontraditional occupations, jobs in which women represent less than 25% of the workforce.
