TradesFutures Names 11 Women to 2026 Rising Leaders Program

Highlights

• TradesFutures selected 11 tradeswomen for its 2026 Rising Leaders program.
• Honorees come from Apprenticeship Readiness Programs across the United States.
• Recipients are pursuing careers in electrical, plumbing, roofing, cement masonry, welding and other skilled trades.
• The honorees will be recognized Oct. 9-11 at the Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference in Houston.
• The program highlights apprenticeship readiness as a pathway into union construction careers.

Women entering and advancing through skilled construction trades are expanding the industry's available workforce while developing careers in a range of craft specialties. TradesFutures has selected 11 women for its 2026 Rising Leaders program, recognizing participants who have progressed through apprenticeship readiness and union construction career pathways.

The recipients come from programs in multiple states and include pre-apprentices, apprenticeship graduates and workers already participating in union apprenticeship programs.

Apprenticeship Pathways Across Multiple Trades

The 2026 recipients represent a range of construction specialties and geographic markets. Their pathways include electrical work, cement masonry, sound and communications, plumbing, pipefitting, welding and roofing.

Several honorees transitioned into construction after working in other fields or completing education in areas such as construction management, building inspection, exercise science and visual arts. Others entered the trades through pre-apprenticeship programs designed to provide foundational construction and safety training.

The selected participants include:

• Uniyah Chatman, Syracuse, New York, an IBEW Local 43 member.
• Yasmeen Clay, Philadelphia, a pre-apprentice pursuing commercial wallcovering.
• Kimberly Davila, Boston, a cement mason with Local 534.
• Brejai Jefferson, Emeryville, California, an apprentice with the Northern California Sound & Communication JATC.
• Jasmin Martinez, San Diego, an apprentice with LiUNA.
• Jennifer Martinez, Los Angeles, an IBEW Local 11 inside wireman apprentice.
• Cynthia Sigala, Chicago, an IBEW Local 134 apprentice.
• Kelcy Tobey, St. Louis, a pre-apprentice with the Missouri Works Initiative Apprentice Ready Construction program.
• Charlé Tolar, Houston, a member of OPCMIA Local 783.
• Angel Valentine, West Jordan, Utah, an apprentice with UA Local 140.
• Angela Velazquez, Syracuse, New York, an apprentice with Local 195.

Recognition at Houston Conference

The Rising Leaders will be recognized during the 2026 Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference in Houston, scheduled for Oct. 9-11.

The program is supported by Carhartt and is intended to highlight women developing careers through union construction apprenticeship pathways. The recipients' backgrounds include career changes, military service, technical education and pre-apprenticeship training.

TradesFutures operates a national network of more than 200 Apprenticeship Readiness Programs across 34 states. Its programs are focused on connecting prospective workers with Registered Apprenticeship opportunities and construction careers.

Why It Matters

Workforce development remains an important consideration for contractors facing the need to recruit and prepare skilled craft labor. Apprenticeship readiness programs provide a structured entry point for people seeking construction careers while helping connect prospective workers with union apprenticeship opportunities.

The 2026 Rising Leaders program highlights 11 individual career pathways while demonstrating the range of construction trades available to workers entering the industry.

Source: Trade Futures.