After leaving college because she couldn't afford it, Chelsea Fenton entered a union apprenticeship as a laborer and now works as a site foreman. She also uses social media to help women find construction apprenticeships; about 15 women reach out each week.
Fenton says about half her apprenticeship training took place in school and half on job sites. She learned while earning a weekly paycheck, without paying tuition upfront, and also completed safety training and continued education.
Fenton says her job site lacked separate bathroom facilities when she was pregnant with her daughter, making that period difficult. She says more options are available for young women now, and identifies being underestimated and having to prove herself more than male coworkers as challenges.
