Work Like A Girl is WHRO Public Media’s newest American Graduate initiative, funded by Corporation for Public Broadcasting, to create awareness of the great opportunities for young women in skilled careers. These are careers that, when you think of them, you usually think of a man in the job, such as electricians, welders and truckers. However, they are rewarding, well-paying jobs for women, and we need to let them know about them for many reasons.
One is, for young women with a high school diploma and without training or secondary education, the main jobs available to them are mostly low-paying jobs such as retail, childcare and hospitality. These types of hourly jobs do not provide a sustainable wage for a family, or a long-term career. And how much you work can be heavily influenced by the seasons or the region’s economic situation.
Some more reasons are:
- There is little, or zero, income inequality in skilled careers as pay is based on experience, not on gender.
- You can earn while you learn. Skilled careers can offer pathways to learn job skills and get paid to learn, such as apprenticeships.
- Training for many of these careers can result in much less debt, or zero debt, compared to a four-year degree. In the U.S alone, borrowers owe $1.5 trillion in student loan debt.
- Some programs take as little as two years, some even less.
- And, women are in high demand for these jobs!!!
WHRO recently asked a group of young women what Work Like A Girl meant to them, and they had a lot to say.
- Time to take charge
- Lead
- Work hard
- Step up
- Showing a man what a girl can do
- Confidence
- Go for it
- Working smart
- Women are strong
- Can do the same job as men
We then asked the group why young women aren’t encouraged to go into welding, logistics, HVAC, electrical and other skilled careers. One answer is: parents. Parents often do not consider these jobs because of the stigma attached to them, they don’t think of them, or they just don’t know any info about them.
Well parents, meet Grace, Kelli and Amanda.
- Grace has an English degree from a four-year college, but now loves her job as an HVAC tech and plans on staying in the field for years.
- Kelli enjoys her career in welding. It not only helps support her family, but gives her time to do things she loves, like take the stage as a beauty pageant contestant and write a children’s book.
- Amanda is a big rig trucker. Trucking not only gives her time, and money, to spend with her family, it lets her follow her passion of salsa dancing.
Learn more about skilled careers as well as local apprenticeship programs and training opportunities on our Resources page.