What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 3:30pm Tuesday 9am - 3:30pm Wednesday 9am - 3:30pm Thursday 9am - 3:30pm Friday 9am - 3:30pm

Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)

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Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)

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We welcome and encourage positive engagement across our social media platforms and believe in a supportive community.

Established in 1981, Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) has been the leading advocate for women seeking to enter and thrive in nontraditional occupations, leading the charge for equal opportunity and advancement in industries historically dominated by men. Please read our community guidelines:
https://cwit.org/terms-of-use/ -media-community-guidelines

10/30/2026

Our last open house of the year brought some special guests.

On Wednesday, we welcomed 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez and Jackie Jiskra, workforce development manager at Constellation Energy. We were also joined by a team from the Chicago Department of Environment: Commissioner Angela Tovar, First Deputy Commissioner Jared Policicchio and Kathleen O’Shea, director of public affairs.

Our guests toured the office, attended the open house presentation and spoke with CWIT staff and community members about what tradeswomen face on the job today. Thank you for spending time with us and for joining the conversation on how to improve opportunities and working conditions for women and gender-diverse people in construction.

And thank you to everyone who came to an open house this year. We’ll be back next summer.

Until then, you can learn about our programs by attending one of our online information sessions. Register online at cwit.org/info-session-sign-up.

10/30/2026

This week marked the first week of our final Women in Welding class of 2027.

Our new students kicked off the week with trades math measurements with math instructor Miss Kitty and OSHA 10 training with welding instructor Desiree Guzman.

If you're interested in our free hands-on welding program, visit https://cwit.org/training/ to learn more.

10/29/2026

We had a great time at this year's Chicago Build Expo! Thank you to the team at Chicago Build for having us again, and to everyone who attended the panels our leaders, Renee Jones and Lark Jackson, participated in.

If you're interested in what you learned about Chicago Women In Trades at this year's Chicago Build Expo, please visit www.cwit.org to learn more.

We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

10/28/2026

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, died today at 96.

As the union's chief negotiator, she fought for things many of us would call basic human rights: rest breaks, clean drinking water and restrooms in the fields. She gave the movement its rallying cry, "Sí, se puede," and kept organizing into her 90s. Earlier this year, after decades of silence, she spoke publicly about sexual abuse she endured inside the movement she helped build.

Her example inspires and guides all of us working for workers' rights. At Chicago Women in Trades, that means pushing for fair accommodations and harassment-free job sites. Our fight is still ongoing.

Thank you, Dolores, for your leadership and your lifetime of hard work.

10/28/2026

On Saturday, our Technical Opportunities Program (TOP) class trained alongside other trainees at the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Apprentice and Training Program in Elk Grove Village, IL. Together, the men and women practiced core carpentry skills, including layout and measurement, saw cutting and material handling.

Women still make up a small fraction of the construction workforce, and training side by side is one way to change that and set the standard for what a diverse jobsite can look like.

Thank you to Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council for hosting our students!

Looking for an opportunity to learn the trades on a schedule that works for you? Learn more about TOP, our evening pre-apprenticeship program: https://cwit.org/training/

10/27/2026

This Thursday, Lark Jackson, director of CWIT's Equity Resource Center, will serve as a panelist for "Putting on Your Hard Hat: Building a Culture of Safety in Construction" at the annual Chicago Build Expo.

The panel will take place on Stage 5 at 1 p.m.

Chicago Build 2026 starts tomorrow at 9 a.m. Visit chicagobuildexpo.com to register for a free badge.

10/22/2026

Next week is our last Open House of 2026!

If you missed any of our in-person information sessions, next week is your last chance this year! At an open house, you'll meet and talk with our staff, network with tradeswomen, and connect with other future tradeswomen looking to start a new career. Don't miss this final event!

Date:
October 28

Time:
4 PM - 6 PM

Location:
Chicago Women in Trades
2444 W. 16th St., Suite 3
Chicago, IL 60608

To RSVP, email CWIT Program Administrator, Ca'Ron King, at [email protected]. Spots are limited, so act fast!

10/21/2026

This week for Careers in Construction Month, we're spotlighting Amber Johnson, a graduate of CWIT's Technical Opportunities Program (TOP).

Amber came to CWIT on a friend's recommendation. Her favorite part of the program was learning about the different trades. Initially, Amber planned to become an electrician, but after spending time with the carpenters, she knew that was the trade for her.

Amber credits TOP instructor Kina McAfee and physical trainer Denitra Williams with helping her prepare for the jobsite. Now, Amber is a Local 1 carpenter and currently works for BlackRock Construction on the Chicago Fire soccer stadium project.

Amber advises women considering a career in carpentry to stay open to learning different aspects of the field and not shy away from challenges.

In the future, Amber looks forward to becoming a journeywoman and working toward a superintendent role.

To learn more about our Technical Opportunities Program, visit our website at: https://cwit.org/training/

10/20/2026

On Saturday, our Technical Opportunities Program (TOP) students spent the day getting hands-on training at Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers ADC 1 of IL.

During their trip, students learned the basics of bricklaying, tile setting, tuckpointing, and other finishing trades.

A big thank-you to the instructors for welcoming our students and sharing their expertise throughout the day.

Is a nights-and-weekends pre-apprenticeship program right for you? Learn more about TOP here: https://cwit.org/training/

10/19/2026

Chicago Women in Trades Director of Programs, Renee Jones, will be speaking at the leading & largest construction show in the Midwest.

Join us at Chicago Build (Oct 28-29, McCormick Place).

Register for your free tickets today at: https://forms.reg.buzz/chicago-build-expo-2026/speaker

Address

2444 W. 16th Street Rear Of The Building, 3rd Fl
Chicago, IL
60608

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 3:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 3:30pm
Thursday	9am - 3:30pm
Friday	9am - 3:30pm

Website

http://www.cwit.org/

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