In today’s world, it is not uncommon to find a woman doing what was once considered a “man’s” job, which is apparent in the construction technology department at EC.

“I thought it would be really interesting to learn how to make buildings and be more self-sufficient,” Mercedes Alvarado, 19, fire-technology major, said.

Alvarado is one of the many women who is currently enrolled in construction technology classes and even though it is not her major, she decided to take classes because she believes knowing how buildings are structured will benefit her when she becomes a fire fighter.

She became interested in construction when she was young, by watching her father work on projects.

“My dad would always be working on houses and he owns apartments so I’d always be watching him and I thought it would be helpful to learn so I can help him,” Alvarado said.

Despite her gender, she doesn’t feel she is at a disadvantage with the other male students in her classes.

“I think it’s more of what you know and gender doesn’t really affect anything,” Alvarado said. “It makes us (women) more self-sufficient and gives us an up on the job market.”

Alvarado plans to continue taking construction technology classes, but her ultimate goal is to transfer to a university and receive a bachelor’s degree in fire science.

“Since I’ve been teaching, I’ve always had at least one woman in the class,” Ross Durand, construction technology instructor, said. “So I don’t consider it unusual.”

The construction technology department offers students both an associate’s of science degree and a certificate of achievement with two different options for each, which are construction technology and cabinet and fine woodworking.

Both the associate’s degree and certificate of achievement in cabinet and fine woodworking require 24-26 units. The associate’s degree in construction technology requires a total of 34 units, while the certificate of achievement requires 37-40 units.

“Generally, by the time students finish our program, they should be able to at least have some experience to build a house from start to finish,” Durand said.

Class sizes in the construction technology department average 26 students per class, Durand said. Most classes are 4-unit, lecture-lab classes so students work physically on projects on every class meeting when the lecture is over. It takes about two years to receive a degree or certificate if students are enrolled full time.

“Students tend to prove themselves very quickly on the job site with the breadth of knowledge and skills that they learn here at EC,” Durand said.

According to the EC web site, by the time students are done with the program, they will be able to lay out and construct a basic residential structure in agreement with Uniform Building requirements. Students will also be able to analyze and decipher blue prints.

Another female student enrolled in construction technology classes is Catherine Bybee, 31, construction technology major, who works for a green construction company called Green Planet Building.

“I decided to take this class and I’m going to take a few more classes so that it will make me a better salesperson,” Bybee said.

Although Bybee already has a career, she will continue to take classes at EC as a part-time student until she receives a degree in construction technology.

“I haven’t really encountered any challenges,” Bybee said. “But I think probably the biggest challenge is when guys say ‘let me do it for you’ and I’m like no, I got it. I just tell them to back off. I can do it myself.”