Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)

Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) We welcome and encourage positive engagement across our social media platforms and believe in a supportive community.
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Established in 1981, Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) has been the leading advocate for women seeking to enter and thrive in nontraditional occupations, leading the charge for equal opportunity and advancement in industries historically dominated by men. Please read our community guidelines:
https://cwit.org/terms-of-use/ -media-community-guidelines

Join us in congratulating our Spring Women in Welding graduates!After ten weeks of hard work, hands-on training, and ded...
06/12/2026

Join us in congratulating our Spring Women in Welding graduates!

After ten weeks of hard work, hands-on training, and dedication, these students have finally graduated and are ready to take the welding and manufacturing industry by blaze.

Thank you to our guest speaker, 26th Ward Alderperson Jessie Fuentes, for coming to our ceremony and giving these new welders some words of encouragement.

Inspired by these graduates? Ready to start the welding career of your dreams? Get started today and learn more by visiting our website at https://cwit.org/training/

Our Summer Open Houses start this month!This summer, Chicago Women in Trades will host three in-person information sessi...
06/10/2026

Our Summer Open Houses start this month!

This summer, Chicago Women in Trades will host three in-person information sessions for aspiring tradeswomen to learn more about our free pre-apprenticeship programs. The first session will take place on Wednesday, June 24, from 4-6 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet CWIT staff and instructors and hear about the day-to-day experiences of women working in the trades.

Location:
Chicago Women in Trades
2444 W. 16th St., Suite 3
Chicago, IL 60608

Dates:
June 24, 2026
July 29, 2026
Aug 26, 2026

To RSVP, email CWIT Program Administrator, Ca'Ron King at [email protected]. Spots for these events are limited, so act fast!

From laborers and carpenters to roofers and ironworkers, many construction trades depend on forklifts to move heavy mate...
06/09/2026

From laborers and carpenters to roofers and ironworkers, many construction trades depend on forklifts to move heavy materials from one place to another on job sites. While convenient to use, forklifts can be dangerous, and trained tradespeople must follow safety measures to protect themselves and others.

To learn more about how tradespeople and contractors can promote and uplift safety on job sites, check out this article from Accident Injury Prevention at https://aipsafety.com/news/10-rules-of-forklift-safety-explained/

Congratulations to CWIT co-founder Wendy Pollack on receiving the Betty J. Willhoite Award at the Chicago Jobs Council's...
06/08/2026

Congratulations to CWIT co-founder Wendy Pollack on receiving the Betty J. Willhoite Award at the Chicago Jobs Council's 45th Annual Meeting last Friday!

From union carpenter to attorney, Wendy spent nearly 30 years as director of the Women’s Law and Policy Initiative at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, where she shaped civil rights legislation at the city, state and federal levels on behalf of women and economically disadvantaged workers. She also served on CWIT’s board and is a current member of the Policy Committee.

The Chicago Jobs Council’s annual meeting brings together workforce development leaders to advance solutions for quality jobs across Chicago. The Betty J. Willhoite Award recognizes those who have gone above and beyond to advance workforce development. We can’t think of a more fitting honoree!

On Saturday, our Technical Opportunities Program (TOP) students went on two great field trips featuring tours and hands-...
06/08/2026

On Saturday, our Technical Opportunities Program (TOP) students went on two great field trips featuring tours and hands-on activities. They started the day in Tinley Park, visiting the Local 17 Insulators Union, then ended the day with the Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 281, U.A., in Alsip.

Thank you to the unions, instructors, and CWIT tradeswomen Luna and Alyssa for giving our students a great trip!

More information on our Technical Opportunities Program can be found on our website: https://cwit.org/training/

Thank you to Engage: Promoting Women's Economic Security for inviting the Director of our Equity Resource Center, Lark J...
06/05/2026

Thank you to Engage: Promoting Women's Economic Security for inviting the Director of our Equity Resource Center, Lark Jackson, to be a panelist at the 2026 State of the Majority Summit in Washington, D.C., this Wednesday. Engage works to advance the economic security of American women by promoting policy solutions.

The annual State of the Majority Summit connects leaders to address women's financial well-being, from caregiving to the skilled trades.

On the panel, Lark discussed ways to support women’s equitable entry and retention in the skilled trades alongside Dr. Lynn Shaw, Ariane Hegewisch, and Illiana Flores. We are also grateful to have met U.S. Rep Lauren Underwood, D-IL.

Our spring Women in Welding students have only one more week left before graduation! This week, students have been takin...
06/04/2026

Our spring Women in Welding students have only one more week left before graduation! This week, students have been taking their final exams, practicing their t-joint welds, and working on final projects.

We're so excited to see this class graduate and take their next steps towards a thriving career in welding and manufacturing.

If you or someone you know is interested in sparking a new career in welding, please visit out website at https://cwit.org/training/

Over the weekend, TOP students spent a day covering the basics of the electrical trades at the IBEW-NECA 134 Technical I...
06/03/2026

Over the weekend, TOP students spent a day covering the basics of the electrical trades at the IBEW-NECA 134 Technical Institute. They learned about material handling, pole bending, wiring a circuit board, and more!

Thank you to IBEW-NECA 134, volunteer and CWIT graduate Aisha Brundidge, and instructors who came together to make the day something students won't forget. Your continued support for your future tradespeople is special to us and much appreciated.

Field trips like this are a crucial part of our free program curriculum at CWIT. If learning through hands-on experiences like this interests you, visit our website at https://cwit.org/training/ to learn how you can get started on your own construction career journey.

June is National Safety Month, and this first week is all about "Moving Safety Forward."One of the ways we consistently ...
06/02/2026

June is National Safety Month, and this first week is all about "Moving Safety Forward."

One of the ways we consistently practice moving safety forward at CWIT is by providing all program students with 10-hour OSHA training. OSHA-10 trains students to recognize, avoid, abate, and prevent workplace hazards.

OSHA-10 training...
- Promotes a culture of safety amongst peers.
- Provides hands-on activities to help students understand the curriculum.
- Is tailored specifically to CWIT students, their needs, and what they'll expect on the jobsite.

Visit https://cwit.org/training/ to learn more about our curriculum, and visit https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach to read more about OSHA-10 and 30 training.

Exciting news! The Illinois General Assembly has passed SB 3465, requiring construction sites with 10 or more workers to...
06/01/2026

Exciting news! The Illinois General Assembly has passed SB 3465, requiring construction sites with 10 or more workers to provide private restrooms, and menstrual products and lactation accommodations for women and gender-diverse construction workers.

Led by Chicago Women in Trades and sponsored by State Senator Graciela Guzman and State Rep Theresa Mah, this legislation finally addresses what has gone unregulated for too long: a vast majority of women and gender diverse workers have gone without adequate facilities, basic protections and dignity while working on construction sites.

Please join us in urging Governor JB Pritzker to sign this bill into law and make inclusive worksites the standard in Illinois!

https://cwit.org/menstruation-and-lactation-support-on-construction-sites/ -this-bill

Address

2444 W. 16th Street Rear Of The Building, 3rd Fl
Chicago, IL
60608

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 3:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 3:30pm
Thursday 9am - 3:30pm
Friday 9am - 3:30pm

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