At the risk (i.e., the absolute certainty) of repeating myself, I want to remind you that the opportunities currently available in the skilled trades are NOT limited to men. Not by a long shot. This week, as further proof, I present the unexampled, unrelenting, indefatigable…Judaline Cassidy.
Judaline is a plumber, working out of Local Union #1 in Long Island City, the oldest plumber’s union in the country. But she’s more than a 4’9” firecracker with a 10-foot personality from Trinidad and Tobago, determined to be the best plumber in America. She’s also the force behind Tools & Tiaras Inc, a nonprofit that exposes young girls to the opportunities in the trades while showing them just how far a person can go with a decent work ethic and the mastery of a useful skill.
There is no playbook for closing America’s skills gap. The stigmas and stereotypes that keep millions of students from giving the trades an honest look are real, and disabusing society of these misconceptions will require a legion of highly motivated business leaders, educators, and sensible politicians. But it will also require the efforts of people like Judaline—jagged little pills who believe the American Dream is still a possibility for anyone with the determination and skill to make it their own. Obviously, Judaline is a person you should know, and it’s my pleasure to introduce her to you in this episode.
Give it a look and share it far and wide.