Iowa Women In Trades Network

Iowa Women In Trades Network We are a non-profit organization run by tradeswomen to promote women in trades!👷🏻‍♀️👩🏼‍🏭👩🏾‍🔧

⏰ ONE HOUR COUNTDOWN! ⏰​Grab your dinner, your notebook, and get ready to log on! Our monthly call with U.S. Congression...
06/04/2026

⏰ ONE HOUR COUNTDOWN! ⏰
​Grab your dinner, your notebook, and get ready to log on! Our monthly call with U.S. Congressional Candidate Lindsay James starts tonight at 6:30 PM.

​Lindsay is ready to share her insights on thriving in male-dominated spaces and wants to hear directly from Iowa's women in trades.

​If you’ve been waiting for a chance to share your story or ask the tough questions about the future of our industry, this is the room to be in.
​Tap the link below to join us at 6:30 PM sharp. Let's show up strong! 💪✨
Join the Google Meeting: meet.google.com/bmc-grvg-kcv
✨ See you in an hour!

📣 Big news, Iowa Women in Trades! Tomorrow night, we’re hosting a very special guest...​We are incredibly excited to wel...
06/03/2026

📣 Big news, Iowa Women in Trades! Tomorrow night, we’re hosting a very special guest...

​We are incredibly excited to welcome Iowa House Representative and U.S. Congressional Candidate Lindsay James to our monthly community call tomorrow night at 6:30 PM! 🛠️💼

​Lindsay currently represents Dubuque in the Iowa House and knows exactly what it's like to navigate and lead in a male-dominated environment. She wants to connect with us—to introduce herself, share her own insights, and most importantly, listen to your stories.

​This is your chance to voice the real-world issues, triumphs, and challenges you face on the job site every day to someone who can carry those stories straight to the policy floor.

​👉 Bring your questions, bring your lived experiences, and let’s make our voices heard.

​📍 When: Tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:30 PM, Central

đź”— Where: https://meet.google.com/bmc-grvg-kcv

​Tag a sister in the trades who needs to be on this call! 👇

What's one issue on the job site you wish lawmakers understood better??

As the long weekend winds down and we prepare to head back to the grind tomorrow...It’s easy for the true meaning of tod...
05/26/2026

As the long weekend winds down and we prepare to head back to the grind tomorrow...

It’s easy for the true meaning of today to get lost in the shuffle. Once the ceremonies end, the news cycles move on, and life marches forward, the names of those who gave everything can fade into the background.

But as we close out the day and look ahead to the workweek, let’s take a quiet moment to remember.
We honor the brave service members who paid the ultimate price for our country—especially the ones whose stories went untold, who were marginalized, or who have been erased from our history books.

To those who laid down their lives so that we could live ours, and to the families who still carry the quiet weight of their absence: Thank you. Your sacrifice is the foundation of our freedom, and we owe you a debt that can never fully be repaid.

They may be gone, but they are not forgotten. Before you clock in tomorrow, please join us in paying a small tribute to their memory. 🇺🇸

Name that Tool Reveal:The AnswerWhat is a Brace and Bit?The "Brace" is the U-shaped handle, and the "Bit" is the special...
05/20/2026

Name that Tool Reveal:

The Answer
What is a Brace and Bit?

The "Brace" is the U-shaped handle, and the "Bit" is the specialized auger that does the cutting. Before the electric motor took over, this was the only way to drill deep, clean holes into heavy timber.

Why It’s Still Cool:
Infinite Torque: Unlike a modern drill that might stall out, the long throw of the brace gives you incredible leverage. You are the motor!

Silence is Golden: There’s something meditative about the sound of a sharp bit peeling shavings out of oak without the scream of a 20V motor.

The "Lead Screw": See that little screw tip on the end of the bit? It actually pulls the tool into the wood so you don't have to push hard.

05/19/2026

It's Name that Tool Tuesday!

Category: Vintage Vibe

Clue: This hand-powered tool uses a crank-shaped frame to create massive torque. Its name sounds like something you'd wear on your teeth, paired with the part of a horse's bridle.

Answer format: What is a __________?

Who still has one of these in their grandfather's old chest? Let's see those guesses! 👇

Happy Monday for all of our followers today! As women in a male-dominated industry, we often feel the pressure to not ma...
05/18/2026

Happy Monday for all of our followers today! As women in a male-dominated industry, we often feel the pressure to not make any mistakes or the need to go above-and-beyond. The internal and external pressures tend to make us harder on ourselves and can get us down. I hope you take a moment today to remind yourself that you are awesome and you are making a difference. You don't need to be perfect to be awesome!!

Let’s talk about the power of the "Sisterhood." ✊In June 1982, the streets of New York’s Chinatown were flooded by over ...
05/18/2026

Let’s talk about the power of the "Sisterhood." ✊

In June 1982, the streets of New York’s Chinatown were flooded by over 20,000 garment workers—the vast majority of whom were Chinese immigrant women. They were striking for fair wages, safer conditions, and the right to provide for their families without exploitation.

Led by organizers like May Ying Chen, these women didn’t just win a contract; they transformed the future of the labor movement. They proved that "docility" is a myth and that when tradeswomen (and women in all labor sectors) stand together, the entire industry has to listen.

Today, we stand on the shoulders of these "garment-trade" giants as we continue to push for equity on the modern job site. 🧵🔧

To a short clip about the history of this event, check out Labor Arts website: https://www.laborarts.org/exhibits/we-are-one/section4/

Photo Credit:
Crowd at Columbus Park Rally, 1982. Photograph courtesy of Kheel Center, Cornell University. (https://www.laborarts.org/exhibits/we-are-one/section3/)

Happy AAPI Heritage Month! 🌏✨ This month, we are celebrating the rich history, grit, and contributions of the Asian Amer...
05/11/2026

Happy AAPI Heritage Month! 🌏✨ This month, we are celebrating the rich history, grit, and contributions of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.

Why May?
The month was chosen for two big reasons:

May 7, 1843: The arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the U.S..

May 10, 1869: The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad—a feat made possible by the grueling labor of over 15,000 Chinese immigrants.

Who does this include?
It’s a huge "tent"! It encompasses the entire Asian continent—from East and Southeast Asia to South and Central Asia—and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

In our group, we know that diversity makes the crew stronger. This month, we’re honoring the AAPI trailblazers who built the backbone of our country and those who continue to lead on our job sites today. 🛠️❤️

Being the "boss" shouldn't mean being burnt out. ⚡️Managing a crew is one of the highest-stress tasks in the trades—espe...
05/07/2026

Being the "boss" shouldn't mean being burnt out. ⚡️

Managing a crew is one of the highest-stress tasks in the trades—especially when you’re the one who has to lay down the law. Join Iowa Women in Trades this May as we host University of Iowa PhD students to discuss mastering workplace stress and the art of the "tough conversation."

Let’s turn management stress into leadership strength.

đź“… Tonight!! 6:30PM, Central
đź”— meet.google.com/bmc-grvg-kcv

It’s one thing to read a blueprint. It’s another to manage a crew.We asked what keeps you up at night, and the answer wa...
05/06/2026

It’s one thing to read a blueprint. It’s another to manage a crew.

We asked what keeps you up at night, and the answer was clear: It’s the "people" stuff. Specifically, the stress of having to discipline a crew member or handle on-site conflict while being the only woman in the room.

That’s a heavy lift, and you shouldn’t have to do it without the right tools.

For our May meeting, we’re bringing in the experts! 🧠 Joining us are PhD students from the University of Iowa Counseling Psychology program to help us navigate:
âś… How to have "tough conversations" without losing your cool.
âś… De-escalating job site tension.
âś… Not taking the "crew stress" home with you.

Stop by, grab a seat, and let’s sharpen our leadership tools together.

đź“Ť When: May 7th, 6:30PM Central
đź“Ť Where: Google Meet https://meet.google.com/bmc-grvg-kcv

Address

100 BioVentures Center, Room W130
Coralville, IA
52241

Telephone

(319) 335-4144

Website

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