From Defending the Nation to Building It

Whether joining an apprenticeship after testing it out in Vocational School, following in their family’s footsteps, or finding it as a second career, everyone has a unique journey into the trades. For BAC sister Ashley Harris from Local 1 Washington Alaska, her journey started after nine years in the armed services as a combat medic.  

After leaving the service, she knew she wanted to join a trade but after trying electrical work, it wasn’t a right fit. “Oh, I hated the electrical work. I was miserable trying to find a job after leaving the army,” Harris said on her first try at trade work. Harris’s then brother-in-law expressed that she may not be able to excel as a bricklayer, due to its physical demands and she thought, “Okay, watch this!” 

 “Once I got into the union and completed my pre-apprenticeship, I fell in love with the craft and wanted to prove I was good at it, so I ended up trying masonry competitions,” explained Harris. “I ended up competing against my brother-in-law at my very first masonry competition, and I beat him with less than one year of BAC training.” 

 “I won my local competition in my second year and became the first female in our local to win it,” Harris continued. “This last year, I won my local and regional competition. Now I am the first woman to win the Western Region Brick competition.”  

Harris credits much of her achievements to her time in the BAC. “If I were to go non-union, I wouldn’t get these kinds of opportunities and benefits,” explained Harris. “I wouldn’t have access to the work opportunities I get now.” 

For Harris, the chance to work at BAC jobsites has been the best part of her journey so far. “If I wasn’t with the BAC, I wouldn’t get to work on projects like the elementary school in Western Seattle,” Harris said on her experience in the field. “That project was tough because there were so many different blends of bricks. We started out with white brick and gray mud, and as we worked up it went from a 90-10 blend to a 60-40, then back to the 90-10. It felt great to be able to keep up with the other masons.” 

For Harris, the sisterhood that the BAC provides has been an important source of support for her as she grows her career. “The mentorship in the BAC has been great, I’ve really found a great group of women in BAC Sisters R.I.S.E. (Resource, Inclusion, Success, Empower),” Harris said. “It’s great, we meet once a month virtually and talk and catch up. Other times we discuss important BAC policies, health and safety tips and more. I really encourage more women in the BAC to join.”