Top 10 Trade Jobs for Women: High Demand & Great Pay

Over the last few decades, the employment opportunity situation of women has drastically changed; one of the opportunities being the trade jobs for women, which has gone on to be a lucrative route that will see them do away with the 4-year college degrees. Such professional jobs provide them financial security, employment stability, and good feeling about being able to work actively without the debt of student loans.

Women are finding out that there is a high rate of earning potential and room to advance a career through trades whether it is electrical work or specific jobs in a specialized field of health care. The increased need of skilled workers in many fields has opened new opportunities to women that have never been seen before due to the desire to break out and pursue the traditional well paying and practical professions.

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Career Paths for Women

Traditional Career Paths

Traditionally, women have been driven to distinct jobs that the society considered to be befitting them as female individuals. Such traditional careers usually consisted of teaching, nursing, administrative support, retail, and hospitality services. Although such positions are still valuable and needed, they were usually associated with strict salary limits, lack of career advancement, and economic security in the future of many women who wanted stable careers.

Traditional Careers Examples:

High school and primary school teachers
Health care assistants and registered nurses
Clerical workers Administration
Retail sales individuals and leaders
Social workers and counselors
Students Human resource specialists

Non Traditional Careers

Alternative careers among the women include those that have traditionally ridiculed the presence of women especially in technical, mechanical and physically demanding careers. The jobs are usually well paid, they have more job security and enable entrepreneurship. This is the case of many trade jobs for women which through them women get to financial independence and professional satisfaction.

Non-Traditional Careers Examples:

Building and construction workers
Technicians/Mechanics in vehicles and automobiles
The Information technology specialists
Technical and engineering jobs
Supervisors of manufacturing and production
Logistics operators in transportation

Rise of Women in Trades and Skilled Labor Roles

Raising rates among trade jobs for women indicate this is a major change in the population of the workforce, both due to financial need, the redefinition of social positions, and direct recruitment by employers struggling to meet their demands.

Opportunity: Economic forces and mounting costs of education have impelled women into jobs that are instantly rewarding and do not require a degree.
Growth: The female involvement in construction trades has shot up by more than 60 per cent over the last ten years indicating longevity of interest in the trades.
Support: Gender diversity is increasingly encouraged by professional organizations and unions to seek new mentorship opportunities, networking, and changes in the workplace policy.
Recognition: Employers are appreciating the concern on details, communications skills, and problem-solving skills that women possess in what is considered a male-dominated field.
Innovation: Women on the trade would bring with them new faces and ideas that are innovative to various fields and boosts productivity at the work place

Why Consider Trade Jobs?

These trade jobs for women have gained momentum as career choices among women since they have had lucrative and stable careers without the pressure of spending time and money towards traditional college degrees.

Security: A trade occupation generally is a great source of employment security because there is always a demand for skilled offerings on the market and prospect of outsourcing practical endeavors is next to impossible.
Income: The entry level of many skilled trades are an alternative to college degrees, most with well above average salaries, and the potential to earn much more as the worker gains experience and becomes more specialized.
Flexibility: Several trade professions provide a chance to associate with self-employment, freelancing, or contract jobs meaning a better schedule control and work-life equilibrium.
Satisfaction: There is a certain feeling of satisfaction with hard work and the ability to look back at the fruits of your efforts and to touch them.
Growth: The skilled trades experience shortages in the supply of workers, which offers terrific opportunities of growth as regards advancement, leadership and career building to the motivated worker.

Top 10 High-Paying Trade Jobs for Women (No Degree Required)

1. Electrician

Electrical work is one of the best and well-respected trades and trade jobs for women in electrical work provide the best career advancement and edification. Electricians are technical workers who put in maintenance and installation and repair electrical systems in houses, business centres, and even industries and it needs technical skills, awareness of safety and accuracy in work.

The profession has a wide range of specialties such as residential wiring, commercial systems, industrial maintenance, renewable energy installation. The electricians are mostly women and, in addition to their communication skills that they offer when clarifying complicated electricity problems to customers, they also show extreme responsibility in following safety requirements that are important in this profession that is one of the risky professions.

Why It’s Great for Women: Offers an intellectual stimulation, great chances to advance and increasing demand of work in renewable energy fields
Average Salary: ₹1.4 Lakhs to ₹4.0 Lakhs per year
Training Required: 2 years

Also Read: Best Earning App Without Investment

2. HVAC Technician (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)

The HVAC technology is a fast-developing area in trade jobs for women that works with climatic systems without which the conditions of habitation and work are not comfortable. These workers are needed to install, service and repair cooling and heating systems in household and commercial constructions, and they need both the skills of the mechanic and skills in customer service.

Technical expertise is coupled with problem-solving skills since the technicians should be able to identify the problems in complex systems and offer solutions. Lady HVACs are also useful tools to the companies and customers because of their ability to communicate with customers and analyse systems in detail.

Why It’s Great for Women: The reason is that there is year-round job stability, an increasing job market, and that the work offers a chance to work with new green technology.
Average Salary: ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 per month
Training Required: 6-month to 2-year certificate programs

3. Plumber

Plumbing is one of the most rewarding and secure trade jobs for women whereby individuals are involved in the installation, maintenance of water, drainage, and gas systems on residential, commercial and industrial sites. The profession has high rates of job security because any plumbing system needs to be maintained and upgraded at all times.

Most often, women in plumbing are good at it because of their systematic nature of solving issues and focus on the key details when troubleshooting complicated system-related problems. The occupation has many specialisations starting with domestic service calls all the way to small and large scale commercial work so there are many different avenues and opportunities to specialise in.

Why It’s Great for Women: Provides good problem solving work with a constant demand in all economic situations and the possibility to become self-employed with a flexible working schedule
Average Salary: ₹1.26 Lakhs per year
Training Required: one to two years

4. Welder

The job market is wide open and well paid, first, because welding is among the most versatile and well-paid trade jobs to women and contains a blend of both artistic touch and technical accuracy which is used to address metal pieces in manufacturing, construction and repair purposes. It is a job that needs dexterity, good sight and one that involves dealing with different kinds of metal and welding skills.

Women welders will usually display extreme attention to detail and control making their welds better than or up to industry standards. The discipline has underwater welding, aerospace occupation, artistic metalwork, and pipeline construction as their specialties each having its own set of challenges and reimbursement opportunities.

Why It’s Great for Women: It is creative but technical, has skills you can carry around in different industries, and can enable them to develop artistic expression.
Average Salary: ₹5.23 lakhs per year
Training Required: 6-month to 2-year welding programs

5. Commercial Truck Driver (CDL)

Driving has become one of the most popular trade job options which women choose nowadays and which provides freedom, travel, good remuneration with no necessity of a standard office. The professional truck drivers haul cargo along local, regional, and national roads, as well as they are supposed to have excellent driving skills, time management, and be concerned about the safety rules.

The occupation has many routes because some specializations have local carrier routes where drivers get to be at home everyday to longer route passengers who may have the pleasure of travel. Women drivers are also known to keep good logbooks, observe safety rules and offer great customer services when delivering.

Why It’s Great for Women: Gives them a mode of independence, the chance to travel and good benefits packages with larger airline companies.
Average Salary: ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 monthly
Training Required: 2-3 months

6. Dental Hygienist

Dental hygienist is an exceptional career that is an ideal way of working with medical background and related concepts, plus personality-related interaction with patients in a professional setting of hygienism. These dental practitioners are known to conduct dental cleaning, conduct X-ray-like images, teach patients on the maintenance of oral health, and even help dentists in conducting some procedures.

The profession involves good communication, attention to details and the capacity to make patients feel at ease when treating them. Most women are good in dental practice due to their empathetic nature and explain in an easy way the complex health information to make worthy team players in dental offices.

Why It’s Great for Women: The job provides amazing work-life balance, professional atmosphere, and has a direct influence on patient health and well being.
Average Salary: ₹19,016 per month
Training Required: two-year Diploma in Dental Hygienist course

7. Wind Turbine Technician

Wind turbine technology is one of the least established and brightest promising female trade skills departments, which concerns the maintenance and repair of renewable energy resources. Such technicians operate at a great height in repairing normal maintenance of mechanical issues and the overall perfection of the turbines to produce maximum energy.

The career is a blend of interest in mechanization and environmentalism, the type of career that would attract women ready to lead to green energy. There may be variations and adventure in wind technicians since they are usually in groups and they are required to move around to different turbine sites.

Why It’s Great for Women: Prevents high-edge technology work, environmental influence, and great growth vertical in the growing renewable energy segment
Average Salary: ₹1.8 to ₹4.5 lakhs per year
Training Required: complete a technical training course

8. Construction Equipment Operator

The use of heavy construction equipment has become one of the most adventurous trade occupations as far as women are involved with bulldozers, excavators, cranes and other devices in implementations of the construction sites. Such professionals are important in establishing infrastructure, setting up construction sites, and facilitating transportation of materials in proper and safe ways.

This field of work demands outstanding hand-eye balance, space visualization and ability to work as part of a bigger construction gang. Women operators usually possess a keen eye in safety measures and accuracy in operating machines and as such they are very desirable to construction firms and their project managers.

Why It’s Great for Women: It offers variety in working places, good income, and places to be included in the development of big projects as infrastructure.
Average Salary: ₹4.8 Lakhs to ₹6.2 Lakhs per year
Training Required: 3-12 month equipment operation programs, formal training from a government-recognized or private training institute

9. Aircraft Mechanic / Avionics Technician

Some of the most technically demanding and highly paid (trade skilled) women work in aviation maintenance, which deals with the inspection, repair and maintenance of aircraft systems and parts. The professionals safeguard flights by practicing detailed checkups and repair of used components and system trouble diagnosing of both mechanical and electronic systems.

The work needs very high standards of concentration because aircraft maintenance directly affects the safety of passengers as well as the performance of the plane. The women in aviation maintenance tend to be good at executing detailed instructions, keeping proper records and communicating well with pilots and other maintenance workers regarding the airplane condition and need in repair.

Why It’s Great for Women: Offers high-tech, high-benefits work environment with travel opportunities and careers.
Average Salary: ₹2.4 Lakhs to ₹30.0 Lakhs per year
Training Required: 30 months of experience working on airframes and engines

10. Esthetician / Skincare Specialist

Esthetics is among the most self-satisfying trade work of females as it involves both healthcare and beauty expertise in making them give their clients the healthy and beautiful skin they require. They conduct facial treatments, hair removal, skin analysis and product recommendation within the spas, salons and medical facilities.

The profession involves dermatology, chemistry, and treatment methods to be known, and in addition to this, the person must possess admirable customer service. Women estheticians also sometimes develop long term relationships with the clients and the long term relationships can be developed when they regularly provide skincare advice to their clients or even take care of their skin through treatments which make them more confident and better lives.

Why It’s Great for Women: Gives you the chance to be creative and artistic, you have a variety of scheduling, and you also feel that you are making a difference when making your clients look and feel good about themselves.
Average Salary: $32,000 to $56,000 per year
Training Required: 600 hours of schooling

5 Trade Jobs That Are Flexible or Family-Friendly

1. Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is an outstanding profession in terms of flexibility when compared with other trade jobs for women as a practitioner can ensure flexible working hours, part-time or full-time employment as well as working in employment or self-employment in equal measure.

This is a healing career through which soft tissue is manipulated through several techniques to relieve pain and relax the client who is stressed, injured, or chronic. Massage therapists have a wide variety of working places such as spas, healthcare facilities, sports medicine clinics, or own practice and that makes a lot of possibilities to combine working places according to personal requirements and family needs.

Skills Required: Good strong and physical endurance, familiarity with the human anatomy and physiology, ability to communicate, and understanding of the needs and comfort of clients

Average Salary: $45,000 – $65,000 annually

2. Esthetician

Intrinsic work-life balance opportunities offered by trade jobs for women are well captured in esthetics where most of the professionals prefer to work part-time, adjustable hours or develop their own client base around family obligations. Estheticians may be employed at luxurious spas as well as in medical practices and many of them end up developing their own businesses or traveling facilities.

It has room to express creativity on the one hand, and it assists the clients to meet their skincare objectives on the other hand of gaining personal satisfaction and enjoying professional flexibility to meet family schedules and personal priorities.

Skills Required: Skincare expertise, sensitive skin combatant, customer service friendly and ability to prescribe and use the right treatment and products to prescribe on different client needs.

Average Salary: $38,000 – $52,000 annually

3. Medical Coder

Medical coding is also one of the most friendly family oriented jobs in terms of trade to women, where one can have a remote job, flexible time, and permanent employment in this health sector which is expanding at a high rate. Medical coders transform the language of medicine to standard codes that are utilized in billing and insurance records and claims and medical records.

This precise occupation needs exaction, information of medical terms, and learning of procedures in the healthcare field, though may be carried out in most cases in the availability of a home with not much supervisory work and as such it suits women who juggle between career and family.

Skills Required: The skills needed are attention to detail, knowledge of medical terminology, knowledge of computers and the capability to work very independently with very little supervision.

Average Salary: $42,000 – $58,000 annually

4. Home Inspector

Home inspection is a very good schedule and good money making trade jobs for women where working hours can be controlled by the inspector and the number of clients he/she can take and hence there is power of choice in the job. These workers inspect houses and businesses on structural defects, safety and systems problems, and report in a detailed manner to home buyers, sellers, and real estate agents.

It involves travelling to different properties but has the advantage of being flexible in terms of implementing inspections to the schedule to suit personal requirements and is of interest to female workers who want a career of independence and want family friendly employment opportunities.

Skills Required: The Construction experience, detail orientation, report writing and the ability to operate in different environments of properties such as basements and attics.

Average Salary: $52,000 – $72,000 annually

5. Landscape Designer

Landscape design provides a sense of creativity and flexible working hours thus desirable among trade jobs for women to those who want to build work-life balance. Such professionals design outdoor areas that are aesthetically pleasing as well as being practical and collaborate with clients to define gardens, patios and entire installation of landscapes.

The vast majority of landscape designers act as consultants or form their own companies, which means that they can regulate their time and manage to select projects that collaborate with their interests and available time. The occupation is a mixture of the artistic eye and the practical understanding of plants, soils and gardens of the exterior living environment.

Skills Required: Designing skills, vegetation expertise, and knowledge of computer design packages and software and project management skills of overseeing installations

Average Salary: $48,000 – $68,000 annually

How to Get Started in a Trade Career

The career in trade jobs for women may be subject to strategic planning and dedication and the route to success is well-known, and it is available to females who are ready to spend time on acquiring useful skills and establishing professional connections.

Research: Conduct a research deeply into various available trading opportunities, needs and expectations about salary, employment and training needed to find the right career of your interest and aspirations.
Education: Sign up to community colleges, trade schools or apprenticeship programs or schools including training facilities that offer practical training and certifications recognized by the industry.
Network: Join professional associations; visit industry conferences and get a mentor, preferably an experienced tradeswoman who can give further direction and career guidance.
Train: Before commencing formal training or working, gain some physical fitness and some knowledge of the tools required by the trade, as well as an understanding of safety practices best suited to that trade.
Apply: Make an application to join an apprenticeship scheme, entry level position or even a training scheme and persistence and professionalism during the application procedure.

Breaking the Stigma: Women in Male-Dominated Trades

Floors of the construction site and workshop are also experiencing a shocking transformation as an increased number of women are breaking down conventional obstacles and creating their niche in the skilled work. Due to some resistance and discrimination at the beginning, women are demonstrating their effectiveness and usefulness in these male-dominated industries due to outstanding level of work, new methods of tackling problems, and commitment in roles.

Stories of successful women tradesmen such as electricians, welders, plumbing women and the likes offer aspiration to other women who might ventur into such ventures. These pioneers tend to report that the period of the initial adjustment may be rather difficult, but the subsequent level of work on the skills and energy in the environment soon brings them admiration of colleagues and authorities. Employers today are going out of their way to recruit women as they realize the different viewpoint which women have to offer into traditionally men dominated workforce.

Conclusion

The rising prospects in trade jobs for women is a notable change to ensure development of a more broad based and diverse talent pool in skilled labour. Such professions are free of the usual college debt burden yet provide a level of financial independence, job safety and fulfillment. Whether it be a high paying career, a job as an electrician or HVAC technician, or a flexible career such as a massage therapist or a medical coder women can find the trades that fits their interests, skills as well as lifestyle needs.

The increasing tolerance to women in mostly men-dominated professions, aggressive recruitment programs and favourable work environments left a favourable investment atmosphere in which women see themselves rising up and establishing professional careers. The trade jobs of women will be an ever more appreciated and valuable profession when industries will still be experiencing the shortage of skilled workers and will not refuse a chance of long-term stability and advancement as a career choice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which are the best paying trade jobs for women that do not require college education?

Dental hygienists, electricians, and HVAC technicians are the career options that have salaries that are usually highest among women working in any kind of trade, and the possible salary can get up to 60-95 thousand dollars per year.

What is the length of most trade careers training?

Some specialized jobs can take as short as 6 months all the way to 4-5 years in case of an apprenticeship program, and the overall majority of jobs related to trades of women need 1-2 years of concentrated education.

Do any trade occupations allow one to work remotely or create a flexible schedule?

Yes, medical coding, massage therapy, and home inspection have flexible hours and esthetics, and landscape design allows one to become self-employed.

How do women get into the trade dominated by males?

Although workplace culture is still in the process of being improved, initially, some women can be met with the shade of doubt, yet professional competence on the trade jobs front very soon proves not only a certain degree of respect but also credibility.

What should women do to have mentorship and support in the skilled trade?

Networking: trade unions, industry associations and professional organizations have programs and resources that specifically support women in trade careers.