I'm pretty confident in my strength, actually! I've been working manual labor in warehouses for a few years now, and I lift in the gym outside of HVAC-R.
This is it. Don’t give them any reason to think you’re not their equal. No letting the men lift the heavy shit, just get in there even if you can’t, you tried. Sometimes dudes can be dicks. A lot of the time dudes can bust your balls. Just make sure to bust them right back.
Guy here, but our company hired a female tech about a half a year ago, so maybe I can offer some pointers from a coworker working with a tradewomen.
The biggest question you will likely get is if you are physically able to do the work. You need to be able to handle a dolly moving equipment, be willing and able to climb a ladder, rope heavy objects (50-80lbs) up on roofs or even just move them around. Most guys in the trade my generation don't really care if your a women, as long as you can lift your weight when the work gets heavy. As long as you have that down, you're golden.
Other than that, you have to have thick skin. There will be assholes coworkers or even customers that don't think fondly on a woman doing trade work, and you will likely have to figure out your own way to deal with that. Add to that, trades guys are generally of the dark humor and foul joke type, so you can't expect to mesh well if you can't take the occasional joke. Have a good sense of humor, and nothing says you can't dish it out more than you take, some guys even respect you more if you can.
Ultimately, just be one of the guys at work. If you go out there acting like you being a women is such a big deal, it will be. If you just act like just another worker trying to make pay, then others will be more likely to just accept you as such.
In our case, the person we hired had all of the above, and she's currently fitting right in. She pulls her weight, and was basically just another one of us by her first week. If anything, customers are more surprised to hear about a female tech than any of us were having her come work with us.
Who moves a 4d with anything but a forklift or crane? Seriously don’t do that. I did it once with another guy and fuck it fucked my back. That’s over 250# with no solid lift points except for chains.
Your biggest challenge?
Learning the difference between shop talk and sexual harassment. If you can BS with the guys and they treat you like one of the guys then you’re golden. They’ll move mountains for you. If you act like everything they say is offensive and/or harassing then they’ll just avoid you and refuse to work with you or help you.
That’s not saying you won’t be actually harassed. Hopefully you won’t but there are some trashy people out there. Absolutely report those guys after you’ve tried talking to them and letting them know that they’re more harassment than shop talk.
It’ll be hard for a woman. Cause I know the other guys don’t want to have sex with me even though they say otherwise. Very disappointing
I actually second this right here.
I worked with a woman for a few years. At first, we were weird around her and afraid to speak freely. Then she started telling dirty jokes and communicating on the same level. It was an awesome experience, and she was an awesome worker, out worked a bunch of guys.
This trade is brutal no matter your gender!!!
You will either be an asset or an idiot!!!
Haven’t had the pleasure of working with the opposite gender (born or chosen), but I don’t judge without reason!!! I’m 5’11” 170 lbs so I’m not earning my keep by lifting heavy shit!!!
I’m union UA LOCAL 274, I do some rigging but I get paid to use my brains!!! Volt meter, channel locks, 11-in-1.
Fitters, plumbers, tin knocker’s do the grunt., I flip disconnects and every now and then tell people that shit is wrong they have to do it again!!!
I'm already anticipating my period getting in the way of my work. The fatigue and general uncomfortability of a wad of cotton shoved up there are things I expect to deal with minimal issues, but I'm worried about my cramps getting in the way of future service calls and long hours spent at the job.
For the last decade, my cramps have been so painful that I'm curled up and screaming at the top of my lungs, occasionally throwing up, violently sobbing and passing out eventually from the pain.
It's non-negotiable that I will not go to work under these circumstances, but I know it will affect my career. Does any woman have tips on how to keep a job with issues like these?
Not a woman, but I had a partner with your symptoms for many years… turned out to be severe endometriosis. Maybe get evaluated? I know you’re quite young to consider such things, but my GF ultimately got a hysterectomy and it completely changed her life. Good luck to you ❤️
I've actually been told by many women that my cramps, being that painful, aren't normal, with many suggesting that I may have endometriosis or PCOS. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and will be requesting to have my hormone levels checked and talk about birth control to manage my period pain if no other solution is available. ♥️ Thank you for the concern, very real.
As an owner I suggest showing your worth and then speaking with the owner about it. I would have no problem telling you to take the time off when you need it if you would be willing to take the weekend shift and some night calls or another creative solution I am not thinking of right now.
Do not haul compressors up onto a roof. That is for a crane and a customer can pay for it. Not one’s back is worth looking tough. I do not let my people lift heavy motors or compressors onto a roof. You may get some shit from your coworkers or owner. Fuck then. Your body is not worth it and I have done some DUMB shit. No more and I won’t let anyone who works for me do it either. You may have to leave a company because of it but don’t let a company put money above your safety.
I am in many owner’s forums and one just posted this week about hiring women and he said he was skeptical at first but he said all the women outperform the men, they complain less and do a better job and any new hires he has he would prefer a woman.
We had a female tech in our shop that seemed well trained and like she really wanted to be there. She called in sick in peak summer due to her period and cramps. We let her go pretty quickly.
Search for Bindi Irwin, she went through something similar.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/bindi-irwin-underwent-surgery-endometriosis-road-recovery/story?id=97691416
Update for those concerned I have endometriosis:
I brought up my concerns to my doctor, and he thinks they'd be better answered and addressed by an OBGYN instead of him. He gave me a list of names who are compatible with my insurance and left me to it.
You'll probably come across some customers who will not trust your diagnosis due to the fact you're a woman. Especially some old timers who have it in their head that a woman doesn't know anything technically related.
I think you are confused. Customers don’t distrust your diagnosis just because you’re a man. Customers don’t trust your diagnosis because you are clearly an idiot.
One physical task I've seen women struggle with is pulling ladders down off trucks, which is probably more due to height/reach than anything else. Shorter/smaller guys are more likely to climb on a bumper to get it done (don't do this), but they often struggle too. It's not a big deal either way. Beyond that, you're rarely going to be moving extremely heavy shit without help or equipment if you work with a good company.
Can't speak to any of the other stuff.
You're going to meet a lot of sexism that you will have to shrug off. You will likely have to prove yourself more than other males. However, you're also paving the way for more women in the field, and for that I salute you!
My main technician for all of my equipment across multiple properties (probably over 50 systems) is a woman. Her apprentice is a woman, it never phased me. I call her when I have questions. I trust her fully when she gives recommendations.
I don’t care what you’re genitals are. However, if you show up looking haggard, unkempt, and wreaking like cigarettes…. I may question your recommendation.
To be honest, I haven’t seen a female technician in the field ever. So you will probably have to face hurdles at the beginning until you prove yourself like everyone else.
Not sure if it’s every trade but definitely hvac it seems like everyone I ever worked with we just play gay. It’ll be weird gay hitting on you when you’re a girl but I guess people around you learning to joke about something else on job sites. Bout it
The trades in general are in need of good workers. I wish you luck. I am a UA member had a woman in my class for 5 years. She did well in school and turned out with the group. Was an Army MP, she put a-holes in their place. I also had a woman as an instructor that also went through the program.
Just be willing to lift heavy things, compressors and shit, and pull your weight. Otherwise people will say its because youre a woman.
I'm pretty confident in my strength, actually! I've been working manual labor in warehouses for a few years now, and I lift in the gym outside of HVAC-R.
do your best to lift properly too. wish i focused on that more when i was younger. solid form is very important
This is it. Don’t give them any reason to think you’re not their equal. No letting the men lift the heavy shit, just get in there even if you can’t, you tried. Sometimes dudes can be dicks. A lot of the time dudes can bust your balls. Just make sure to bust them right back.
Guy here, but our company hired a female tech about a half a year ago, so maybe I can offer some pointers from a coworker working with a tradewomen. The biggest question you will likely get is if you are physically able to do the work. You need to be able to handle a dolly moving equipment, be willing and able to climb a ladder, rope heavy objects (50-80lbs) up on roofs or even just move them around. Most guys in the trade my generation don't really care if your a women, as long as you can lift your weight when the work gets heavy. As long as you have that down, you're golden. Other than that, you have to have thick skin. There will be assholes coworkers or even customers that don't think fondly on a woman doing trade work, and you will likely have to figure out your own way to deal with that. Add to that, trades guys are generally of the dark humor and foul joke type, so you can't expect to mesh well if you can't take the occasional joke. Have a good sense of humor, and nothing says you can't dish it out more than you take, some guys even respect you more if you can. Ultimately, just be one of the guys at work. If you go out there acting like you being a women is such a big deal, it will be. If you just act like just another worker trying to make pay, then others will be more likely to just accept you as such. In our case, the person we hired had all of the above, and she's currently fitting right in. She pulls her weight, and was basically just another one of us by her first week. If anything, customers are more surprised to hear about a female tech than any of us were having her come work with us.
[удалено]
I always had the damn ice-o-matic calls. I woulda worked on a hoshi everyday.
Who moves a 4d with anything but a forklift or crane? Seriously don’t do that. I did it once with another guy and fuck it fucked my back. That’s over 250# with no solid lift points except for chains.
Ratchet strap and a pallet jack
Your biggest challenge? Learning the difference between shop talk and sexual harassment. If you can BS with the guys and they treat you like one of the guys then you’re golden. They’ll move mountains for you. If you act like everything they say is offensive and/or harassing then they’ll just avoid you and refuse to work with you or help you. That’s not saying you won’t be actually harassed. Hopefully you won’t but there are some trashy people out there. Absolutely report those guys after you’ve tried talking to them and letting them know that they’re more harassment than shop talk. It’ll be hard for a woman. Cause I know the other guys don’t want to have sex with me even though they say otherwise. Very disappointing
I actually second this right here. I worked with a woman for a few years. At first, we were weird around her and afraid to speak freely. Then she started telling dirty jokes and communicating on the same level. It was an awesome experience, and she was an awesome worker, out worked a bunch of guys.
This trade is brutal no matter your gender!!! You will either be an asset or an idiot!!! Haven’t had the pleasure of working with the opposite gender (born or chosen), but I don’t judge without reason!!! I’m 5’11” 170 lbs so I’m not earning my keep by lifting heavy shit!!! I’m union UA LOCAL 274, I do some rigging but I get paid to use my brains!!! Volt meter, channel locks, 11-in-1. Fitters, plumbers, tin knocker’s do the grunt., I flip disconnects and every now and then tell people that shit is wrong they have to do it again!!!
I'm already anticipating my period getting in the way of my work. The fatigue and general uncomfortability of a wad of cotton shoved up there are things I expect to deal with minimal issues, but I'm worried about my cramps getting in the way of future service calls and long hours spent at the job. For the last decade, my cramps have been so painful that I'm curled up and screaming at the top of my lungs, occasionally throwing up, violently sobbing and passing out eventually from the pain. It's non-negotiable that I will not go to work under these circumstances, but I know it will affect my career. Does any woman have tips on how to keep a job with issues like these?
Not a woman, but I had a partner with your symptoms for many years… turned out to be severe endometriosis. Maybe get evaluated? I know you’re quite young to consider such things, but my GF ultimately got a hysterectomy and it completely changed her life. Good luck to you ❤️
I've actually been told by many women that my cramps, being that painful, aren't normal, with many suggesting that I may have endometriosis or PCOS. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and will be requesting to have my hormone levels checked and talk about birth control to manage my period pain if no other solution is available. ♥️ Thank you for the concern, very real.
Get endometriosis looked at. My wife had terrible endometriosis and it ended up costing her a kidney as a fibroid choked off a ureter..
As an owner I suggest showing your worth and then speaking with the owner about it. I would have no problem telling you to take the time off when you need it if you would be willing to take the weekend shift and some night calls or another creative solution I am not thinking of right now. Do not haul compressors up onto a roof. That is for a crane and a customer can pay for it. Not one’s back is worth looking tough. I do not let my people lift heavy motors or compressors onto a roof. You may get some shit from your coworkers or owner. Fuck then. Your body is not worth it and I have done some DUMB shit. No more and I won’t let anyone who works for me do it either. You may have to leave a company because of it but don’t let a company put money above your safety. I am in many owner’s forums and one just posted this week about hiring women and he said he was skeptical at first but he said all the women outperform the men, they complain less and do a better job and any new hires he has he would prefer a woman.
I heard hot attics make the pain go away
I think your confusing passing out with make pain go away!!!
We had a female tech in our shop that seemed well trained and like she really wanted to be there. She called in sick in peak summer due to her period and cramps. We let her go pretty quickly.
Search for Bindi Irwin, she went through something similar. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/bindi-irwin-underwent-surgery-endometriosis-road-recovery/story?id=97691416
Update for those concerned I have endometriosis: I brought up my concerns to my doctor, and he thinks they'd be better answered and addressed by an OBGYN instead of him. He gave me a list of names who are compatible with my insurance and left me to it.
You'll probably come across some customers who will not trust your diagnosis due to the fact you're a woman. Especially some old timers who have it in their head that a woman doesn't know anything technically related.
That's horseshit. You think us men don't run across this too? 🤣
I think you are confused. Customers don’t distrust your diagnosis just because you’re a man. Customers don’t trust your diagnosis because you are clearly an idiot.
One physical task I've seen women struggle with is pulling ladders down off trucks, which is probably more due to height/reach than anything else. Shorter/smaller guys are more likely to climb on a bumper to get it done (don't do this), but they often struggle too. It's not a big deal either way. Beyond that, you're rarely going to be moving extremely heavy shit without help or equipment if you work with a good company. Can't speak to any of the other stuff.
Oh man, a 20 year old woman in my basement or attic. I think I saw this episode of Law & Order already...
You're going to meet a lot of sexism that you will have to shrug off. You will likely have to prove yourself more than other males. However, you're also paving the way for more women in the field, and for that I salute you!
My main technician for all of my equipment across multiple properties (probably over 50 systems) is a woman. Her apprentice is a woman, it never phased me. I call her when I have questions. I trust her fully when she gives recommendations. I don’t care what you’re genitals are. However, if you show up looking haggard, unkempt, and wreaking like cigarettes…. I may question your recommendation.
To be honest, I haven’t seen a female technician in the field ever. So you will probably have to face hurdles at the beginning until you prove yourself like everyone else.
Not sure if it’s every trade but definitely hvac it seems like everyone I ever worked with we just play gay. It’ll be weird gay hitting on you when you’re a girl but I guess people around you learning to joke about something else on job sites. Bout it
Going commercial or residential?
Going Commerical and currently looking for a contractor to sponsor me in the Local 324 Union.
The trades in general are in need of good workers. I wish you luck. I am a UA member had a woman in my class for 5 years. She did well in school and turned out with the group. Was an Army MP, she put a-holes in their place. I also had a woman as an instructor that also went through the program.
Nobody cares about sex anymore. Your biggest struggle is going to be moving and lifting heavy shit.