WOMEN IN THE TRADES
THE PTTC IS COMMITTED TO INCLUSIVITY
The PTTC is proud to be an equal opportunity institution. We believe in fostering an environment where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive and succeed based on their skills and dedication. At the PTTC we are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, ensuring everyone in our community is valued and supported. By providing equal respect and training we strive to create a culture of fairness and empowerment.
WAC MEMBER BECOMES FIRST WOMAN APPRENTICE TO COMPETE IN DISTRICT 5 REGIONAL CONTEST
Steamfitting Apprentice and WAC Vice Chair, Courtney Borja returned to compete at the State level of the UA Apprentice Contest. Last year at the State level, she made history as the first woman to represent Local 393. This year, she achieved a new milestone, winning first place in Pipefitting and becoming the first woman apprentice from Local 393 - and ALL of California to advance to Regionals ACROSS ALL TRADE categories. Congratulations Courtney! We can't wait to see you compete in El Monte.
WAC MEMBER WINS IAPMO AWARD
UA Local 393Journeylevel Plumber and WAC Member Aster Tseng receives the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Industry Person of the Year Award.
WAC ANNUAL WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK SHIRT NOW AVAILABLE
For Women in Construction 2025 (WIC) Week, the theme is Together We Rise. The theme "celebrates the strength and knowledge of women and the vital role they play in
shaping the future of the construction industry."
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And in honor of Women in Construction Week, WAC has designed a shirt in line with the theme.
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Shirt is limited printing! Pick up your shirt today at the Training Center.
WAC MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN NAWIC SILICON VALLEY CHAPTER WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK
Journeylevel Steamfitter and WAC Chair, Margarita Reese speaks at NAWIC Silicon Valley's 2025 Women in Construction's panel: Women in the Trades.
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Additionally, members Courtney Borja, Sherry Clark, Aster Tseng, and Veronika Valverde attended NAWIC's networking event.
COPYRIGHT: NAWIC Silicon Valley
UA LOCAL 393 TO SEND WOMEN APPRENTICE TO STATE BACK TO BACK YEARS
Steamfitting Apprentice and WAC Vice Chair, Courtney Borja wins Steamfitting category at UA Local 393 Apprentice Contest for the second year in a row.
Good luck Courtney at State!!
WAC MEMBERS COMPETE IN 2025 UA LOCAL 393 CONTEST
Annually, the first weekend in March is our UA Local 393 Apprentice Contest. Pipe Trades Training Center apprentices compete in four categories: Plumbing, Steamfitting, HVACR and Welding. The competition consists of two full days of projects and exams. ​
​This year we had WAC members Courtney Borja and Megan Glenn compete in the Steamfitting portion of this contest.
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The winner from each trade at our local level of the contest will go to participate in the 2025 UA California State Apprentice Contest, which this year the Pipe Trades Training Center will be hosting! Contestants who win at the state finals move on to the regional level. Winners from the regional competition will compete in the international competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
WAC WEIGHS IN ON THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PIPING TRADES AT CAREER TRANSITION CONFERENCE
GeoBrowser / Workforce DAO and Albert's List partnered to put on Career Transition Conference, Is it Time to Quit Tech? The conference is geared towards exploring a career switch outside of tech.
WAC member Lan-Chi was asked to participate in a panel to share about the opportunities of apprenticeship and a career in the Union piping trades.
WAC PARTICIPATES IN THIS YEAR'S CAREER EXPO
Each year the union building trades in partnership with S4CA put together Career Expo. The event provides high school students with insight into the various union trades and the career opportunities they offer. As the host, the Pipe Trades Training Center welcomed 165 students (and their counselors) from seven high schools in Santa Clara County. They spent the day exploring different trades, learning about union training, and engaging in hands-on activities.
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Our Women Advancing Members: Courtney, Lan-Chi, Derek and newly turned out Journeylevel member Rebecca, are well acquainted with outreach events. They dedicated their day to educating the high school students about the piping trades. ​​
Hey ITP!
The UA Instructor Training Program (ITP) happens each summer. It is an opportunity for UA instructors to come together, exchange ideas and take classes to improve training in their own classrooms.
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ITP has also extended its training to apprentices who would like to teach. This year, the Training Center sent Steamfitting Apprentice, Courtney. Courtney was enrolled in the UA Future Instructors course which gives apprentices a glimpse of what it takes to be a UA instructor. In conjunction she also was enrolled in the beginner teaching course, Planning, Teaching and Assessing Effective Lessons.
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While there, she made a big splash with the WAC's Hey 393 Builder Barbie Shirt. It was highlighted in the ITP Edition of UA Week In Review.​
COPYRIGHT: United Association
NEW ORLEANS HOSTS 14TH ANNUAL NABTU TRADESWOMEN BUILD NATIONS CONFERENCE
The members of UA Local 393 look forward to taking part in the annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference. This year celebrated 14 years of the event and the bringing together women and allies from all union building trades. Each year, the conference continues to expand, setting new attendance records. It is a weekend dedicated to celebrating progress, exchanging knowledge and forging valuable connections.
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NOW AVAILABLE IN YOUTH SIZES!
The Training Center now has this year's Women In Construction shirt in youth sizes.
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Small (6-8)
Medium (10-12)
Large (14-16)
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There are still a few sizes left in adult!
Both exclusively sold at the Training Center.
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CELEBRATING WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK!
The first week of March is Women in Construction week! This coincides with Women's history month and International Women's Day. Women in Construction was established in 1998 by the Nation Association of Women in Construction. The week is spent recognizing the contributions of women throughout the industry.
The women of the UA Local 393 designed a limited edition shirt to celebrate Women In Construction Week! Stop by the Training Center to get yours today. ​
UA LOCAL 393's FIRST WOMAN APPRENTICE TO COMPETE IN CALIFORNIA STATE UA APPRENTICE CONTEST
The first weekend in March, we hold our Annual UA Local 393 Apprentice Contest. Pipe Trades Training Center apprentices can compete in four categories: Plumbing, Steamfitting, HVACR and Welding. The competition is two days of projects that challenge their knowledge and resilience. The winner from each trade will go to participate in the 2024 California State UA Apprentice Contest. Contestants who win at the state finals move on to the regional competition. Winners from the regional competition will compete in the international competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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This year the winner of the Steamfitting category is Courtney. She will be the first woman to represent UA Local 393 and the Pipe Trades Training Center at the State level. Congratulations Courtney and good luck at State!
OUTREACH EVENT FOR THE ROSIE THE RIVETER TRUST
The Pipe Trades Training Center was invited by the Rosie the Riveter Trust to participate in Being the Best You: College & Career Fair. The event's goal is to empower youth to consider careers that are traditionally male-dominated. Our Steamfitting apprentices: Courtney, Veronica and Rebecca along with our Director of Training, Brian Murphy spent the day speaking with folks about our program and a career in the piping trades.
13TH ANNUAL NABTU TRADESWOMEN BUILD NATIONS CONFERENCE 2023
The women of UA Local 393 attended NABTU 13th Annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference in Washington D.C. The conference remains the largest gathering of tradeswomen internationally. Attendees from all building trades came together and spent a weekend celebrating the accomplishments made, teaching/learning from one another and networking!
COPYRIGHT: United Association
HELPING AN ICON
Yesterday Cecilia received an urgent call for help from Rosie Marian Sousa, 96, regarding another Rosie Marian Wynn, 96. Marian Wynn had a water main leak and was out of water for 3 days waiting for help from various people. After some coordination, Cecilia went over and fixed Marian's plumbing problem within hours.
It is an honor to serve the trailblazer that made it ok for women to work in construction.
We are super proud of Cecilia, who was able to give back to the community, especially to a woman pipe welder from 78 years ago.
12TH ANNUAL NABTU TRADESWOMEN BUILD NATIONS CONFERENCE 2022
The UA Journal January – February 2023 Edition highlights the NABTU 12th Annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference that occurred in the Fall of 2022. The conference is the largest gathering of tradeswomen internationally. The UA Journal highlighted Local 393 journey member, educator and long-time attendee of the annual conference Lisa Long.
COPYRIGHT: United Association
RESOURCES
An affiliate of NABTU - North America's Building Trades, Tradeswomen Build Nations is the largest gathering of tradeswomen world wide.
Their conferences allow women from all trades to network with one another, feel comradery as well as attend workshops and panels.
2024 is the 14th Annual conference and will be held in New Orleans!
Tradeswomen Build Nations is not just a conference, but a supportive network of not just workers but also union leaders, apprenticeship coordinators, contractors and politicians.
​Pride and a Paycheck is a free journal written by tradeswomen. The quarterly publication provides a breadth writing, poetry and art from tradeswomen nation wide.
Within the pages of Pride and a Paycheck Magazine are the voices of women in the trades. They are Blue Jean Pocket Writers. They are worker writers. Their words are Work Pieces: fundamental tools serving the most useful purpose of telling the world what it’s like to be blue collar females. Their ideas are change agents working in the repair departments of human conditions. Pushing and nudging consciousness to higher levels of thought while trashing the obsolete and dangerously backward ideas. Their bodies direct their words. Their actions shine a spotlight on the future of women in the trades of any ethnicity and sexual identity. They tell it like it is….and like it should be. They recruit and support sisters from the INSIDE. They are a beacon in the Worker Writer genre and Pride and a Paycheck is privileged to publish their work pieces.
Doro, S. (2022). Why is There a "Pride and a Paycheck"? Pride and a Paycheck , 24(3), 24–24. Retrieved from https://www.prideandapaycheck.com/.
In 2023 Pride and a Paycheck celebrated its 25th year of syndication.
The United Association is the umbrella organization for Local 393 and the Pipe Trades Training Center.
The United Association has been providing the best training in the world to their members for over 60 years. Their five year apprenticeship, journey worker training, yearly instructor training and certifications programs exceed industry standards.
The United Association is an advocate for women in the trades. They recognize "that women bring a unique set of skills and work ethic that are invaluable to our industry. Women bring a limitless potential to the UA."