Female mechanic, electrical apprentice and drains expert on their experiences in trades

The trades are no longer the all-male bastion they once were. Three women talk about their experience

Diagnostic technician Alice Handke, at her workplace at Blackwater Motors, Forge Hill, Cork.

Gender used to determine our career choices. In Ireland, most young people attended same-sex schools, which funnelled boys and girls onto different career paths. Girls were directed towards teaching, nursing, and hairdressing, while the trades and professions in law, medicine, science and engineering were deemed for the boys.

Change is happening, albeit slowly in sectors such as construction. The 2022 CSO Labour Force Survey found that 15,500 of the 167,300 people employed in that sector were women, representing 9.3%, up from 8% in 2020.