Two state officials recently told a gathering of the FCTS Tradeswomen of Tomorrow that working in the trades can be both personally satisfying and financially lucrative.
Sarah Wilkinson, commissioner of the Division of Occupational Licensure and Public Safety, and Sarah Skowyra, state building inspector, guest speakers at this month's Tradeswomen of Tomorrow meeting, shared their experiences as females working in the trades.
The Tradeswomen of Tomorrow is a new club at FCTS that creates an empowering and supportive environment for young women interested in pursuing careers in non-traditional trades. The club strives to create a supportive community that encourages girls to break barriers, challenge stereotypes, and develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in fields where women are under-represented.
"I want to encourage you to be in the trades," Wilkinson said. "There are a lot of cool opportunities available."
Wilkinson oversees an agency with a budget close to $60 million and includes 265 employees. She helps assist with process improvements, hiring, policies, laws and regulations. The agency licenses 15 percent of the Commonwealth workforce, including cosmetologists, plumbers, electricians, construction supervisors and more.
As a building inspector, Skowyra's responsibilities include inspecting the construction of new buildings and renovations of existing state-owned buildings, as well as conducting periodic inspections of state-owned buildings and buildings licensed by the Department of Public Health. She also provides technical assistance to municipal building inspectors and mediates disputes between local building inspectors and the public. Skowyra inspects amusement parks and carnivals for safety, and teaches building code classes to inspectors in her district.
As a student at Colby-Sawyer College, Skowyra had intended to go into sports medicine. She also worked for her father's carpentry business and when he retired she became the owner, which set her on a path for a career in the trades. Skowyra said she loves the variety her job offers her, where she can be on a job site one day and at her computer in the office the next day.
"Believe in yourself," she told the group. "Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do something. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I found people who were willing to help me. Do something that scares you. I almost turned down this job. Taking it was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Skowyra said municipal building inspectors are being paid $75,000 a year, "and it goes up from there." State building inspectors start at about $90,000 a year and a commissioner can earn up to $175,000 annually.
A commitment to continuing education is required for keep licenses up to date.
"Some kind of continuing education is required," Wilkinson said. "The education never ends. The regulations keep changing and the technology changes all the time."
Skowyra added that it's not necessary to have a college degree to be successful in the trades, only that workers keep up with necessary continuing education.
After the talk, Cameron Jacques, a student in the Electrical program, said "it was cool that we could hear the experiences of other women in the trades."
Jayelle Coble, a Plumbing student, said the talk was insightful.
"It gave me a perspective on what my career could be and what my life could be if I choose to be in the trades," she said. "I liked the overall message."