Press Release

Albany, NY – The North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC) announced the launch of its annual Sisters in the Brotherhood recruitment program that is aimed at providing women the opportunity to establish a career in carpentry – an industry that is traditionally overlooked. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women continue to be underrepresented within the industry. In 2023, just 10.8 percent of construction workers in the United States were women, and according to Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, only 9.4% of construction workers are women in New York State. The Sisters in the Brotherhood program has launched the carpentry careers of over 150 women across New York since 2015.

To kick off the program, NASRCC will be holding a virtual information session on April 11th at 6 PM for women who are interested in learning more about a career in carpentry. The session provides an opportunity to learn about the 8-week pre-apprenticeship program that will begin this spring at NASRCC training centers across New York State and is the first step toward a five-level apprenticeship program with the Carpenters’ union. The pre-apprenticeship program provides women with the valuable opportunity to gain experience and become skilled, qualified carpenters, offering them a path to a career with excellent wages, benefits and independence through trade education.

“The Sisters-in-the-Brotherhood pre-apprentice program was created to open the doors of opportunity for women who may not have considered a career as a carpenter. We hope to inform and motivate a new generation of carpenters that reflect our communities, and we look forward to supporting new members as they begin their career as a union carpenter,” said Nicole Grodner, Carpenters Local 290 Council Representative and New York Chair of the Sisters in the Brotherhood Committee.  

“My experiences in the carpenters union have made me envision a future for myself that I could never fully imagine. I can see my professional evolution as well as my financial evolution. The capacity to buy a house, have a new car and go on vacations are things I’ve only ever dreamed of, and now they’ve become reality with a career that I love,” said pre-apprenticeship graduate Carolyn Riccardi of Carpenters Local 279 in the Hudson Valley. 

The NASRCC’s pre-apprentice program provides an opportunity for women 17 years or older with a high school degree or equivalent in New York, outside of the 5 boroughs of New York City, to find out if carpentry fits their career path. To register for a virtual information session click here, or visit nasrcc.org/sib to learn more.