The skilled trades have long been recognized for offering stable, rewarding careers, yet the industry still struggles with a persistent gender gap. Women represent only a small fraction of trade professionals, despite increasing demand for skilled workers. Closing this gap is not only a matter of equity – it’s essential for strengthening the workforce and advancing innovation across sectors such as construction, manufacturing and marine industries.
For HR professionals, understanding the systemic barriers and taking targeted action to attract and retain women can help reshape the future of the trades.
Understanding the Barriers
Before creating solutions, it’s critical to understand the challenges women face in the trades. Cultural stereotypes, limited early exposure, lack of mentorship and insufficient workplace accommodations all contribute to low female participation rates. Many women who enter the trades also encounter a lack of advancement opportunities and face challenges related to jobsite culture, including isolation or discrimination.
Without proactive efforts, these barriers can discourage women from entering, staying or advancing in skilled professions. Organizations committed to growing their workforce must address these realities head-on through deliberate policy changes and cultural shifts.
Strategies for Attracting Women to the Trades
Changing the narrative begins early. Many women are steered away from trade careers at a young age due to outdated perceptions about “appropriate” roles. Providing exposure to the trades through targeted outreach, education and partnerships works to challenge these norms.
- Promote Early Exposure: Collaborating with schools, youth organizations and community groups can introduce girls to hands-on learning opportunities. Highlighting the range of exciting careers available – from welding to carpentry to marine trades – can shift perceptions and spark interest. For example, promoting specialized programs like boat building schools and Digital Modeling & Fabrication, (Newport 3D Modeling, CAD Certificate, CNC Programming School) gives young women tangible pathways into industries where craftsmanship and technical skill are highly valued.
- Inclusive Marketing and Recruitment: Language and imagery used in recruitment materials matter. Featuring women in promotional campaigns, describing positions in ways that emphasize creativity, leadership and technical expertise and highlighting success stories can help attract a more diverse candidate pool.
- Partner with Training Programs and Organizations: Working with technical schools, apprenticeship programs and nonprofits that support women in trades can connect employers with motivated female candidates. Scholarships, sponsorships and grants specifically for women can also increase access to training opportunities.
Building a Supportive Workplace Culture
Attracting women is only the first step. Creating environments where women want to stay and grow is key. Ways to create a more supportive workplace culture include implementing:
- Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs: Pairing new female hires with experienced mentors provides guidance, support and career development. Sponsorship goes further, with leaders actively advocating for women’s advancement into leadership roles.
- Equitable Career Pathways: Clear advancement structures help all employees see a future within the organization. Regular training, leadership development programs and opportunities to build new skills must be accessible and visible to everyone.
- Addressing Workplace Bias: Comprehensive bias training and strong anti-discrimination policies are key. Organizations must create a culture of accountability where inappropriate behavior is not tolerated, and inclusion is championed at every level.
- Work-Life Balance and Flexibility: Flexible scheduling, parental leave and family support programs signal that the company values employees’ personal lives. These benefits are especially important for attracting and retaining women, who are often balancing multiple roles.
Looking Ahead: A More Inclusive Future
Building a stronger workforce and filling the gender gap in the trades requires more than good intentions – it demands sustained effort, structural change and cultural evolution. By understanding the barriers women face, creating pathways for their entry and fostering workplaces where they can thrive, companies set themselves apart as leaders in both talent and equity.
As industries like construction and manufacturing evolve to meet future demands, tapping into the full spectrum of skilled talent becomes even more critical. Investing in strategies that attract and retain women not only benefits individual organizations but strengthens the trades as a whole.
The opportunity to reshape the landscape is here. With commitment, creativity and collaboration, the trades can become a space where talent of all kinds builds the future.
Kern Maass is President of IYRS School of Technology & Trades, one of the leading trade schools in Rhode Island and a nationally recognized nonprofit institution that was founded in 1993. Maass has 20 years of experience working in higher education. Prior to that, Maass owned a furniture company, then became head of the industrial design program and later the associate dean of Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts in North Carolina as well as the Dean of the College of Music & Media at Loyola University New Orleans. He notes that the craftsmanship skills needed for boatbuilding and furniture making are transferable.
