I am 26 years old and I work in construction. Pays well but can be demanding.

I never expected to go into electrical construction, but I started a family early and wanted to pursue my own personal goals while having a flexible schedule.

My brother joined the program and after hearing about how he was able to start a career without going through four years of college followed by debt, I decided to do the same.

Apprenticeships last several years and involve schooling while working. My hourly rate has increased based on my experience and hours worked. For the past year, I made $53 an hour and worked five days a week. I also attended night school in the evening twice a week for three hours and one Saturday at two while studying for exams.

I’ve been on maternity leave for the past month, but I passed my state exam, so when I come back I’ll be making $63 an hour.

It was a challenge

I’ve had to juggle a family, study and work for the past five years – and it’s also quite a physically demanding job.

Commercial work requires pulling wire for fairly large tools and signs for subway stations. It’s a big tightrope for long haul destinations. We also lay wire in panels and run lots of RMC/PVC conduit for the station’s communications, power and lighting systems, including underground works.

The job involves a lot of pushing, carrying, crawling and ladder work. We also have to do calculations sometimes. Familiarity with the Pythagorean theorem and SOHCAHTOA will make installation easier. Algebra II is also required for wiring and other electrical calculations.

The job also involves a lot of specific language regarding materials, tasks, tools, safety and work planning. There’s a lot to keep track of and changes within each work project, such as materials and installations.

I have yet to work directly with another woman

In over five years of working in this field, there have been other women employed on projects, but they are very few, and I personally have never worked with one.

The guys are great, but it’s an adjustment to work with all men. They can be tougher even if they don’t try to be. I had to learn to distinguish different tones and it gave me a thicker skin and helped me work on my emotional intelligence.

We need more female representation in this field.

Right now, I’m pregnant, and in California, you can take leave starting at 36 weeks. But given the kind of work we do, I wouldn’t encourage someone who is seven months pregnant to be on a ladder.

The money and lifestyle helped me live comfortably and start a family early

I usually start work at 5am, have two breaks and finish at 1.30pm in time to pick up my son at 2.30pm. Then I take him to practice, cook dinner and spend the evening with him before I leave. to bed around 10 pm

I also spend my weekends with my family, which is important to us.

If I had gone the college route, I would have walked out with at least $30,000 in debt. Also, I should have done internships and received a small salary for the experience. Many of my friends my age struggle with spending.

I am grateful for the apprenticeship because I was able to keep up with our expenses and was able to buy a house at 25, which I co-signed with my mother-in-law.

The other nice part of the program is that there are a lot of companies in it. If I were to be fired, I could go to the port of apprenticeship and be sent to another company.

I also find parts of the job satisfying. I love being able to go through the process of building something – not just seeing it happen, but being hands-on with it is very satisfying. It’s something I really enjoy and it’s part of what’s kept me around.