Outstanding Apprentice of the Year for Cement and Concrete Local 20 Jennifer Pilkington says she stood in line all night in the snow to get her application. That kind of dedication has carried on to her present work. She had been a dog groomer who learned from a laborer all the benefits and opportunities being in a union makes possible. After that, there was no stopping her.
LaborPress spoke with Pilkington about how she entered the trade, what she has learned, and her great “adventure,” as she calls it.
LP: Where did you grow up?
JP: I grew up just outside of Charlotte in Concord, NC and I always had big city ambitions but I thought I would end up in Boston or DC…now I think I’m never leaving NYC.
LP: How long have you been in the apprentice program?
JP: I started the apprentice program in July 2020 and graduated at the end of December 2022.
LP: How did you learn about it?
JP: When I first moved from North Carolina I met a laborer through friends and coming from a “right to work” state (which is anything but!), I was amazed by the benefits and opportunities being in the union provides. When I saw the opportunity to get an application, that’s exactly what I did. I stood in line all night in the snow, got in to get my application and then headed straight to my old job as a dog groomer. It was a long day, but the beginning of this wonderful adventure.
LP: Can you summarize what your Local does?
JP: As a cement and concrete laborer, we are responsible for a myriad of tasks, not limited to concrete work. We also signal the cranes, do traffic control on the flag, serve as laborers for both the carpentry and lather trades, strip the woodworks and wall forms after the floor is poured and my personal least favorite – clean up.
LP: What types of jobs have you worked on?
JP: I’ve done a handful of high rise construction jobs as well as a huge warehouse project for Amazon.
LP: As a woman, do you find it challenging to be in a trade in which you are in the minority? Do you feel you get the respect you deserve?
JP: I wouldn’t say I find it challenging anymore. At first, I had to insist guys not try to help me when I already had something picked up and balanced on my shoulder. We regularly carry 16 foot long beams and other long material, so balance is key! Now a lot of the guys know me and know I can handle the work so we’re good there. Being a woman does make me stand out, but it’s a constant reminder to push myself to work harder. I trained for this job with a personal trainer in Physical Therapy school, so I would know how to handle such intensely physical work without injuring my body. I don’t have the grip or upper body strength a lot of my male coworkers have (or the height!) but I don’t shy away from the heavy or hard work. If I can use my legs to lift it, I can get it up and go! I started carrying two jacks/legs on a previous job to get my strength up and a lot of people know me for that now.
LP: What would you like to see change in regards to women’s treatment in or access to the industry?
JP: I would love for more women to join the business! I think men and women definitely think differently and approach situations differently and often times, I appreciate the male point of view but would love more women throwing ideas in the pool. Most of the companies, the union and the apprenticeship program do a great job with inclusivity, but the main part I really care about is having our own bathroom! There has been a very slim majority of men who aren’t a big fan of a woman in the business, but I suspect they don’t approve of a woman doing anything but being a homemaker. It’s pretty amazing to be in one of the few jobs in the world where my pay ratio is 1:1 with the men! Mainly, I want more women to know you can do this work, yes it’s hard, but my body is in the healthiest condition I’ve been in my adult life.
LP: What skills do you feel you have mastered?
JP: I don’t feel like I’ve mastered much yet, I’m still learning every day, which is part of what I love about this career. I’ve been on the stripping floor a lot previously, always learning how to take it all apart and bring the floor down, but I’m currently working with the carpenters and learning how and why it all comes together the way it does to go up. Whoever I’m working for, I just try to finish my tasks, help my coworkers and keep absorbing the tricks of the trade. There’s truly an art to the way some of the old school guys do their work and it’s a treasure to learn from them, as many approach retirement age.
LP: What jobs have you liked the most, and why?
JP: My favorite jobs are any job with my foreman D-Block (he’s one of those guys who is a treasure to watch work and learn from) and my jobs with SBF and Cross Country. Both companies move at a fast (and intense) pace but they’re impeccably organized and they push you to become the best worker you can be.
