When faced with the challenge of finding and hiring female trades workers, a local business owner and former teacher, Jean Florea, decided to embark on some bold steps and take action to make a difference in the trades industry for women and formed WorkHers United. Since those very first days in 2023, WorkHers has grown to include hundreds of women ready to change the world of trades, one lady at a time. WorkHers United is a non-profit designed to help ladies get into a trade and support those who are already in it. The mission at WorkHers United is to provide education, mentorship and fellowship for women in the trades and to promote the opportunities for young people to pursue careers in the trades. WorkHersUnited has started to accomplish their mission by raising money for future programs and scholarships - these programs include scholarships and funding for things like trade schools, continuous trainings, and tools. In 2025 we are beginning to offer memberships to ladies that will include opportunities like apprenticeship programs, community meet ups, safety and tool training courses, and many more programs as time and money allow. Our local community outreach goal is to be in every local high school (with national plans) with programs that encourage young women to explore the trades as viable options for future careers and also teach classes for the community focusing on skills learned while in the trades. It was just last year that we saw one school in our area help 20 women graduate in their TRADES PROGRAMS! They had 8 in electrical, 4 in construction and framing, 6 in welding, and 2 in HVAC! Change is happening! WorkHers United could not have come at a better time… The average age of a person in the trades right now ranges between 58 to 60 years old and in the the upcoming years we will have many more people retired then we will have coming into the trades. In any other career, besides the trades, women can make less than 80% in comparison to a man’s salary. In the trades, the wage gap is practically non existent. In the trades, women on average make between 98 to 99% the same as their male counterparts in the same position. In Oklahoma, a young lady out of high school can apply for an apprentice level job with no experience should start out working making roughly $15 to $20 an hour. In 4 years, once passing her journeyman test, she should be making at least $35 an hour. After being a journeyman for 2 years, she can then pass a test and become a licensed contractor and eventually own her own trades based company… this is all without a dime of college debt. Through the trades… WorkHers United is changing the world for women.
Visit the WorkHers United booth at the LiL Rally!
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