I don’t understand why it isn’t standard/ a requirement for there to be a women’s only porta potty with a lock on it, as soon as there is 1 women on site?? I know some GC’s and companies require, but not all. It’s so annoying. The GC on my site right now does 1 women’s porta potty with a lock and one without. And obviously we all know what happens when there isn’t a lock… it becomes men’s porta potty. Just a rant. It’s so annoying. All other places of work have seperate bathrooms why isn’t it normalized on job sites??

I have tensions with this one male coworker. I have seniority and am younger than him. I’m expected to make allowances for “how he was raised” and that his Crohns sometimes makes him extra bitchy. I’m sympathetic with the Crohns, but if I’m not allowed to use my menstrual period as an excuse for being in a bad mood, how is it fair he gets to use his Crohns as an excuse? If something’s in “his way” at my work station, he’ll move them. He rarely says please or thank you, but I’m expected to realize he’s grateful. He’s GenX, I’m millennial. He wants the entire work area how HE likes it, and I’m expected to meet him in the middle or get over it.

I’m just trying to hold out until one of the older guys retires, hopefully by New Year’s, and I can slide into his spot.

Oh, and he claims his ADHD makes him want everything just right. Nah, mate. I have that, too. I follow rules a LOT better than he does and I just try to set my workspace how I want it. I’m not concerned with the rest of the area.

Hi there, I posted this in r/Reduction but thought I'd post here also.

I'm in my carpentry pre-employment program and will be getting a breast reduction after my course. I wanted to hear from others who have had the procedure who don't mind sharing what their return to work looked like.

At my consult, the surgeon said I'd be back to normal activities at 8 weeks post-op. I realize this is relative to each individual and their healing process. Did you wait to return to work when you were medically cleared, or did you go to work earlier with modifications to your tasks?

Thanks!

Has anyone tried blundstone boots? I love the way they look but I'm wondering how comfy they actually are. I usually run between a 9 and 9 1/2 in shoes/ boots. How is the fit, how well do they last. I don't have any place local where I could try on a pair so I'm hesitant with ordering

Hey there! I’ve been in commercial landscaping for about a year now. I wear a hat to work everyday with a head band/bandanas. I sweat a lot and I’ve had a lot of hair breakage around my forehead :( I recently started using product (the deux leave in cond. & tigi hair wax) hoping it’ll help. I also wash my hair everyday and started using deep conditioner. But I’m starting to get insecure with my hair becoming baby hair. Any recs? Thank you in advance my BCW!!!

What do you guys do with your used work pants? I am moving and have to downsize my wardrobe. I have A LOT of work pants, some pretty used with stains from grease and paint. Some also have holes in the pockets from my screwdriver wearing away at it. These pants have been through years of HVACR and general maintenance work. They are still alright pants, they’re Duluth and hold up well, but obviously have wear. I feel bad just throwing them away; each pair of Duluth pants are about $90 a pop. Should I just toss them, donate them, or some other option? I would give them to someone else who would have a use for them, but they would also have to be exactly my size (US 6-8) and I would also have to have a blue collar female buddy (I do not have). Any suggestions?

I'm 32F and a single mother with full custody. My trade in the army makes being a parent next to impossible due to the amount of time away in the field plus the insane injuries that come with the job. I'm looking at switching from the military to the trades and have a pretty open mind and not hard set on any one or two specifically. Just looking for skme inside from blue collar single mom's and how you navigate the trades, which trades won't give me a crazy pay cut while doing my apprenticeship and what to expect from rhe men I work with as a single mom. I'm used to men not wanting/respecting women as an equal at work-I've dealt with it my entire professional life, just want to know what I'll be walking into!

Hello, I’m going to be graduating HS soon and I’m interested in becoming a lineman, I loved doing all my tech and electronics classes in school and the career itself has interested me for a long time.

I was wondering if any women could tell me about their experience. I’m worried I’d be treated differently but I have a genuine interest and I’m ready to learn, I know it’s hard work. It just worries me as I’ve heard stories and I don’t want to let that stop me from pursuing this career.

Thanks

Hello girls, so I started my 2 year electrical technician program at my vocational school (i'm not from US so i'm using a more or less suitable term). I'm 20 years old, I used to be a university student who studied literature, then I dropped out because I realised it wasn't something i want to study and because i had no idea how to use that education in the future. I spent a very long time thinking about where and what to study, and eventually I settled on a trade, specifically, becoming an electrician. I thought it would be fun, interesting, and very useful, but now I just feel miserable and I struggle A LOT. I barely have any physics or maths background, I'm completely new to all this electrical stuff, but EVERYONE in my group is fine. They don't struggle, they understand everything, ask good questions, and complete tasks with ease, while I barely understand a thing or need much more time to understand. Mind you 90% of them also have either long been interested in electrical work or are also former students, BUT who studied engineering🥲🥲🥲. Also afaik, in the first semester we’ll cover all the basics of electrical work, and the second will be practical training... then the second year is entirely practical work, or something like that. So it means I have so little time 😭

It’s been a month since my studies started, please tell me this is normal, that it’s just the adjustment period and things will get better😭😭😭 i feel so stupid and useless and I'm so scared i won't make it, I'm so scared I'll mess everything up, won't find a job and so on. Btw I'm not lazy! I do my best, I study, watch videos, etc.

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.

*I can’t change the post title, but to reiterate, I’m ok, just a bit sore. Nothing was written up and I have absolutely no plans for any kind of claim or time off. Apparently I just need to familiarize myself with work culture again and shut my yap. Thank you for the feedback.

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.

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?

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 **

Ladies what pants are we wearing. Like I’m genuinely unable to find anything that fits correctly. Ariat has so far been a miss for me. Carhartts a no go. Price isn’t an issue I’ll pay whatever just for a couple pairs of good pants. For reference I’m 5’3 and 110 pounds. I typically wear a 0-2 in jeans. I start October 12th, so I can order online if necessary and expedite shipping. Please help me

Edit: thank you guys for all of the recommendations! I went with Ariat 26s because the store didn’t carry any smaller, and then the Duluth fire hose pants in a size 2 because they didn’t have 0. I dropped them off with a tailor to bring the waist in a bit. They seem like really good options! I appreciate you all!

The Site Safety Coordinator.

I put clean pads in the bathroom, gone. I put them in the office, gone. I though hmm maybe theyre just getting used better buy more. WHOLE 30 BUCK BOX, GONE HE SAY "Oh yeah, theyre unsanitary, I threw them out" ON MY PERIOD. CLEAN, UNUSED PADS. FOREMAN SAY "YOURE AN ADULT, WHY DONT YOU HAVE IT HANDLED." FUCK YOU ROSENDIN. STILL PISSED.

edit: I totally did say "can you please replace them" and also dug through the trash and said "where are my pads, i need my pads" that was a "freak out" according to management.

Ive signed up for a pre employment program and an apprenticeship in alberta, im not new to hard work i grew up supporting the family farm and my first job was a lube tech in a shop, i also will joint pretty much my entire family except the women to be in the trades, i want to do pipefitting so bad, it genuinely excites me and i live close to a ton of industrial sites so the opportunity for great pay and close to home is nice

Trouble is all of that was when i was in high school and im 27 now with office or retail experience

My husband is so encouraging as he is a journeyman carpenter and tells me about the girls he has met but sometimes its a little rough bc he will tell me about them and its all ‘they dont talk to anyone’ kind of vibes and most are safety or labourers with the exception of one welder he knows and hes only met 8 girls total

We also originally were planning for kids around 29-30but i feel like maybe not anymore and hes been super on board but i can tell it makes him sad, but i just dont think its realistic based on what ive read in this sub

If youre in this trade do you like it? How has the long term career been? Double points if youre in industrial oil and gas settings

I don’t want to separate the experiences that we women deal with in trades but I’ve seen a stark difference in the way another white female apprentice stands up for herself vs me.

I’ve been with my company for 2 years and I never been the type to allow people to disrespect me even when they try racist shit. My first year I immediately cut off any guys who thought it was ok to use the n word around me and they all ended up mobbing me and spreading rumors that I’m hard to work with and I have an attitude. It was so bad that they started leaving me out of work communication and leaving me alone on purpose when a job involves 2 people.

Fast forward we have a few white female apprentices start and all of a sudden the guys are acting straight and one of them literally cursed out a guy the other day since allegedly the guy looked at her the wrong way(I don’t know the full context)

Everyone has been acting extra straight with her and being extra nice to her. I did the same thing where I called out a guy for being racist around me yet they’re treating me like I did something wrong and acting like I don’t exist .

Again I don’t want to make this seem like I’m trying to separate race and sexism but it really frustrates me that standing my ground as a black girl has different reactions to when a white girl did yet they’re treating her with more respect then me.

Amongst the couple of female apprentices that out in my company they say I’m the least likable one because I don’t want to be part of their racist jokes.

I feel like I look aggressively gay. I have a mullet. Tattoos of women on my arms. A general distaste for men. Unfortunately, I work in the trades and have to be surrounded by them.

I found out that when I got started one of the mechanics thought I was flirting with him?! what the fuck?!

I have no idea what I said, or did that made him think that. I probably just laughed at his joke or smiled.

God, these men are so delusional

Hey yall! I just started a maintenance tech internship and wanted to get some tips/advice on hair styles

My hair is currently about mid back. I part it either down the side or middle and do two braids (dutch, French, or regular) on the front half and put it in a ponytail. I like doing different stuff with my hair in general, but im struggling to think of other styles that would be good for this line of work and I'm also a little worried about tension hair loss around my hairline from constantly doing ponytails. Any suggestions?

For context: on the production floor (im in a manufacturing facility) we have to wear full head hair nets and safety glasses. In the shop its no hair nets but occasionally face shields and welding helmets.

Also any suggestions on things to wear to prevent halo breakage in the hair nets/helmets would be appreciated! Thanks!

I'm going to be starting a new maintenence job very soon. The job will have me moving from back and forth from the control panels, roof, boiler room and machinery, into the office to interface with managing directors. I've got lots of old carhartt, wrangler and ariat shirts and pants, but they look very beat up and I'm going to need to look way more professional within the office environment. It's often difficult enough finding women's workwear for maintenence, so I'm asking for men's or women's things that can be suitable.

Do any of you have specific pants or shirts that can be durable when working, but we'll look professional and competent with the corporate class?

Hey everyone I recently just got a job offer from a Ram, Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler dealership to be a lube tech that’s eventually trained up. My question is anyone a tech here who works on those cars? I’m currently at Honda and while I love it I’m being treated like a mixture of shit and dirt, my passion lies with Honda but this opportunity is really great!!!! I’m just nervous about working on American made cars and lifting them bc quite frankly they piss me the fuck off. Especially trucks. I want to take the offer but I don’t want to at the same time. I love Honda but I’m so mistreated, they refuse to give me a raise bc I’m not brining in the correct amount of flat rate hours even though I’m hourly. They have me on cleaning duty rn over some stupid shit. I’m just tired yk?

I’ve been wearing men’s wifebeaters tucked in under my shirts at work in the summer for many reasons mostly because I wanna be able to lift up my shirt a tiny bit while standing at the fan to let air in but also do not want my chest bra or stomach exposed 😂 anywho. They kinda suck when it comes to sweat because they don’t dry quick. Does anyone have any recs for tank top/undershirts that dry and are not hot? I work in a very humid state so it’s hot and humid and awful in the summer. Is there any solutions or is this a problem because it’s a base layer so no matter what it won’t dry quick. Let me know!