Women today are not the same perceived domesticated housewives of the 1950s and can now expand in the job fields. These modern women are now running for president and doing other non-traditional jobs.

The Women in the Industry and Technology program have been persuading women to achieve and succeed toward vocational careers such as welding, automotive repair, air conditioning, and refrigeration.

“Women are paid higher wages for working in these male dominated careers,” Mercedes Badial, WIT program assistant, said.

Since most of these careers are employed by men, it is difficult for women to be accepted in society for taking a different approach.

“Programs like these aren’t usually offered to women, the Technical Arts are usually suggested to males,” Caryn Yokota, welding auto repair major said.

Hard labor is usually seen as a man’s job, which is why some women choose not to enter these fields.

However, according to a brochure provided by WIT the women that do take these nontraditional jobs are getting paid 20 to 30 percent more than those who take on traditional jobs.

There is a limited amount of women within these fields, which makes a woman more likely to be hired.

“If there were a situation between a man and a woman competing for the same job and both of them had the same skills, the employer would most likely choose the woman,” Yokota said.

WIT offers women the opportunity to grow in a field with financial security, good benefits, and the ability for career advancement.

“When I took my fire technology class, I was shocked to find out that I was the only girl in the entire class,” Marina Shaker, fire technology student said.

There is always a demand for women within these fields.

“When I signed up for my automotive repair class, my teacher handed me a blowtorch and had me weld the body of a car. from that point on, I found my interest in welding,” said Yokota.

For some students, these careers were something they became interested in by chance.

“I took my First Response class at Southern California Regional Occupational Center (SCROC) just for credits, and it turned out to be really interesting.now I’m studying for my National Registry exam and hopefully I will become an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician),” Shaker said.

More women have been breaking the barrier between male and female careers and participating in what was male dominated career choices.

This program allows women to get the hands-on approach in the fields that they are interested in pursuing such as welding, air conditioning, and many other trades.

“[Women] have the power to empower themselves and these days women are becoming more independent and trying new things,” Shaker said.

As women are becoming more open to work in other trade programs the WIT program paves the way for future generations to continue.

If more women enter the technical arts they may find themselves interested in a new work field that they never thought of doing.