Not many three-year-olds get to brag that mommy drives a backhoe, but Colleen Charlie’s son, Noah, is proud to pronounce his mother’s unusual career choice. Colleen Charlie was recently accepted into an Operating Engineer’s apprenticeship after attending Alaska Works Partnership Women in the Trades Construction Apprenticeship Preparation program.

Prior to operating a bulldozer, loader, excavator and backhoe, Charlie had worked office jobs. “My boyfriend got into an apprenticeship program and I saw how many hours he worked and how much money he made. I thought, I can do this,” Charlie says.

She attended an Operating Engineers summer program in Palmer and then went to work on road jobs in her hometown of Minto, an Indian village north of Fairbanks off the Elliot Highway.

“I really enjoyed being outside rather than cooped up in an office,” Charlie says.

Charlie heard about the AWP’s Women in the Trades’ Construction Apprenticeship Preparation program and was accepted into the 2004 class. During her five weeks of training, she had the opportunity to experience other construction trades including Carpenters, Electricians. Pipefitting, and Sheetmetal work.

“I went into it with an open mind, but in the end I still enjoyed Operating Engineers best,” she says. As a result and with the help of AWP, she applied for an apprenticeship.

“Nelle (Andrews) and Kathy (Dietrich) were great,” Charlie says. “They helped put our applications, paperwork, resumes and cover letters together.” Andrews is Alaska Works Partnership’s Apprenticeship Outreach Project Manager. Dietrich is AWP’s Women in the Trades and Workforce Investment Act Coordinator.

As part of their job readiness training, AWP also helped Charlie collect letters of recommendation and compile certificates from previous training.

“I took their interview class the day before I interviewed for the apprenticeship and it was very helpful,” Charlie says. “Alaska Works is a great program. I would recommend it to anyone.”

Charlie begins her apprenticeship training in spring of 2005. She looks forward to becoming a journeyman operator. In the mean time, her son Noah has much to be proud of. After all, he has a hard-working mom that drives a backhoe. [MORE]