Aryn tries to give their Imposter Syndrome the steel toed boot and then takes matters into their own hands when they’re rejected TWICE from the program’s employers.Aryn (or “Mykel”) is a queer trans person living in Oakland, California. They recently decided to leave their career in the nonprofit sector working as a disability rights advocate and as a part-time home care aide and took a big, bold leap into the world of automotive and diesel mechanics. This is a four-part documentary of A...

Thick Skin: Ep. 6 - Aryn Part 3: Never, Ever, Ever, Ever.

You'll hear raw, funny, gritty, honest, and inspiring stories from women, transgender and gender nonconforming people in the skilled trades. Find out what it takes to make it in this traditionally male-dominated field. We're also untangling the issue of the essential and skilled labor shortage in the construction and manufacturing trades and how this group of revolutionaries are poised to save the American economy in this time of crisis. (Adult content in most episodes.)

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April is National Welding Month and Thick Skin is celebrating!Ever heard of a national, women’s iron working training program? In this episode I take a tour at the Bay Area’s Local 378 Iron workers HQ and talk with Jeff, a leader in the iron working field and advocate for women working in the trades, especially in iron working. We talk about Local 378’s all women iron working training program, maternity leave,and  the University of Iron. The program is open to women anywhere in the ...

Thick Skin: Ep 12: Ironclad Ally

Meet Alex! She’s the  Executive Director of WINTER (Women In Non Traditional Employment Roles).For 18 years she and her team have worked tirelessly to prepare BIPOC women  for careers working in the construction trades in the Los Angeles and Long Beach areas.  (Check out Episode 2 for the full WINTER founding and origin story!)This is not a job, it’s a career and Alex and her team have high expectations for all who enter through WINTER’s doors! This successful per-apprenti...

Thick Skin: Ep 11 - You Empower Yourself!

Susanne = Exacting. NASA. Uncompromising. Competitive. Humorous. A Global Manufacturing Mastermind! Susanne was a 15 years old when she began working in manufacturing in Germany, nearly 40 years ago. She made her way from the machine shop floor to building parts for NASA to her current role as a leader for a global manufacturer and a mentor to others following in her footsteps.We talk about cobots, giant tanks of acid in the desert, and horses! And mentor of hers who worked on the Apollo...

Thick Skin: Ep. 10 - Hope is Not Her Strategy

SEASON TWO CONTINUES!WOW! It’s Women’s History Month AND Women in Construction Week so we’ve got a double scoop episode for you!We’re serving up some riveting (that’s right) history about women, their successes in saving the war effort, and on the flip side, the true challenges of racial inequity and segregation at the shipyards during WWII.  Then we’ll chat about youth, gender inclusivity, equity, diversity,  and the future of the trades. Then hop aboard with me as I tour a&nb...

Thick Skin: Episode 9: Past Keepers & Future Handlers

Jazzy started welding as a teenager at 13, and now works as a fabricator, an artist, an educator, and a fierce advocate for BIPOC (Black & Indigenous people of color), women, femme identifying, Queer and Trans people in the trades and industrial arts. Jazzy is unphased by anyone who doubts her skills and even uses that to urge her onward to reach her big, welding dreams. She’s igniting her own pathway and is always extra prepared to blow everyone’s expectations way out of the cooling tank...

Thick Skin: Ep. 6 - Aryn Part 3: Never, Ever, Ever, Ever.

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