Corinna Somera
S&C 3nd-Year Apprentice
“I had the pleasure of speaking at the women’s event at the ETA-SV to share my three-year journey. I wanted to show other women that if I could do it, so could they.
“Before entering the trades, I struggled as an unemployed single mother. Regardless of circumstances, I was determined to push myself, stay strong, and never give up. I was the only woman in my class with 79 men. Fear and intimidation were just two of the many emotions I endured.
“Although the trade is predominantly men, they make every effort to ensure that you feel accepted in the IBEW.
“The job itself is challenging, but it is similar to a gym workout. You have to be physically and mentally strong. In the beginning, it might be hard, but don’t give up. Nothing is out of reach if you believe in yourself and your abilities. And that’s what I told the women at the event: You are smart, you are beautiful, and you are strong.”
Leiloni Malone-Garza
S&C Journeyman
“At the ETA-SV, we had an open house for women to expose them to the trades and hopefully apply for the apprenticeship. There were about 50 women who showed up. The atmosphere felt like a community of people coming together to show other women that though this is a male-dominated field, it’s something they can do, and do well.
“There were commercial, S&C, and residential labs all run by 332 member volunteers like me. I like to help. The root is that I’d like to see more women in the workforce. Right now, I’m usually the only woman on the job site, and I stick out. I want to see more female workers in every trade–not just the IBEW–so that I can work alongside women carpenters, plumbers, laborers, etc.
“At the event, we definitely won a lot of people over: They were interested in learning more after having so much hands-on experience. I was shopping and ran into one of the women who attended. She was on the fence on whether to apply to the apprenticeship. But after seeing me, she got motivated like it was a sign.
“For me, I love learning, and the event inspired me to become an apprentice again and apply for the commercial program. I love that with the IBEW: There’s always room to grow and learn more about the field.”
Valerie Musbach
23-Year Inside Wireman
“I got recruited into the trades through the CalWorks tradeswoman program at an event just like the one I volunteered at with the ETA-SV. The trades saved me, and I was able to start over a new life. I didn’t thrive in college, but I was able to find a highly successful career that offers total financial freedom. I’ve taken time off several times to travel the world, have kids, and recover from surgery. Every time, I’ve had that yellow ticket to come back to work whenever I wanted. And I’ve always been able to pay the rent.
“I volunteered because I really love seeing women in the field. One time I’d probably gone 18 months without seeing a single female on the job. I ran up to her and threw my arms around her, which was definitely a bit much! I volunteered to reduce the stigma and recruit more women into the trades.
“The event was fantastic and a lot of fun. It’s great to meet new people when you don’t know what you’re going to find. The most exciting part was training women and seeing the lights come on with people’s insights and creativity.
“The majority of the time, the brotherhood has been really welcoming to women. Everyone really seems to enjoy doing their job with the diversity of cultures and genders, and that’s what’s so great about the IBEW!”
Reyna Zamora
S&C 2nd-Year Apprentice
“I volunteered in the fire alarm labs for the women in the trades event. I don’t like to put myself out there, as I’m usually nervous speaking in front of people. But the turnout was amazing, the people were awesome, and I got to meet a lot of top-notch tradeswomen.
“There’s not enough women in the trades. People don’t step out of their comfort zone, and it’s scary to put yourself out there with a bunch of men. But we’re strong, smart, and most of us excel in the trades.
“The event was successful because when you see someone like yourself that’s in the field, it makes it attainable. We inspired a lot of women. They got their hands dirty, and I feel like I’ll see a lot of their familiar faces on the job in the near future.
“All of the men I work with want me to be the best I can be. They really know their stuff and share their knowledge. That’s part of being in the union family. If anyone has a problem, we all have each other’s back.”
