Hard Hatted Women
Economic Independence
for Women and Families

Hard Hatted Women began in 1979 when three women, a telephone repair technician, a steelworker and a truck driver, formed a support group for tradeswomen. Since then the organization has worked to offer support for women in and seeking non-traditional jobs.

Hard Hatted Women assists women in obtaining a variety of blue collar jobs. There are union apprenticeships in the building and manufacturing trades. There are union and nonunion jobs in manufacturing. They have also assisted women in getting into road construction jobs in the skilled trades.

There are many more opportunities for women in good paying nontraditional jobs with benefits. The U.S. Post Office, Police Department, and Firefighters are all careers that are looking to recruit women. All of the careers mentioned above require different skills and have different entry requirements.

In an era when women still make about 71 cents for every dollar that a man earns, Hard Hatted Women strives to train, advocate and support women in non-traditional jobs that often offer more pay, benefits and security than some others.

From Hard Hatted Women Training Room wall

As more women are heads of households, often raising children alone, they need the pay and support that such jobs can bring.

Hard Hatted Women starts teaching kids - girls and boys - in kindergarten up through the 12th grade. The average age for their Pre Apprenticeship Training (PAT) program is 34 years of age.

Terri Sandu, Debbi Perkul, Calli Frehmeyer and Kelly Kupcak of Hard Hatted Women

Development Director Terri Sandu, Interim Executive Director Debbi Perkul, Board Member and Laborer from Local 310 Calli Frehmeyer and Policy Initiatives Coordinator and Operating Engineer from Local 18 Kelly Kupcak of Hard Hatted Women

Hard Hatted Women sign

Hard Hatted Women
3043 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Phone: (216) 861-6500
Fax: (216) 861-7204

General e-mail: info@hardhattedwomen.org

Web Site: www.hardhattedwomen.org

Learn more and Listen to an interview with Terri Sandu, Debbi Perkul, Calli Frehmeyer and Kelly Kupcak of Hard Hatted Women

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Hard Hatted Women Economic Independence for Women and Families

Hard Hatted Women
Economic Independence
for Women and Families