NYC Plumber and "Tools & Tiaras" Nonprofit Founder Breaking Stereotypes and Empowering Tradeswomen with Judaline Cassidy

Judaline Cassidy is a New York City plumber, tradeswoman, activist, podcast host, motivational speaker, and the founder of the nonprofit Tools and Tiaras, Inc. She has been featured on the Drew Barrymore Show, as a CNN Champion for Change, on Mike Holmes "Holmes at Home", and more.

Judaline has worked on everything from new construction in 80- and 90-story buildings to now working as a City of New York employee in Public Housing benefitting people every day. She loves being a plumber and is a passionate advocate for breaking gender stereotypes in the trades. She says, "Jobs don't have genders."  She founded Tools and Tiaras to teach girls ages 6-17 how to gain skills in the trades, such as electrical, carpentry, plumbing  or even auto mechanics. She is a petite (at 4'11" and 7/8), yet mighty force breaking gender stereotypes in construction and is ushering in a new generation of women in Mechanical, Industrial, Technical, Trades ( MITT ). 

Contact Info:
Judaline Cassidy
www.judaline.com
www.toolsandtiaras.org
@judaline6 (Instagram)

Julie - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
Julie@womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)

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Transcript

Judaline Cassidy: 0:00

showed up every single day, even this island girl, when the temperature went below, you know, degrees, I still went to work even No, I hated the coal. But I love my I showed up just like them and I put the work in just like they did and I did a good job. And even the ones who didn't speak to me sometimes on jobs, nobody, none of the guys would speak to me. there would always be one. But even those people because I was consistent with my work ethics and the way I did my work will finally come to me and say, Man, you do you really good plumber, you know, so you have to put the work in, as you know, and show them show the boys what you got. They can have all the fun.

Julie- Host: 0:49

Hey, everybody. I'm Julie and welcome to women with cool jobs. Each episode will feature women with unique trailblazing and innovative crews. We'll talk about how she got here, what life is like now, and actionable steps that you can take to go on a similar path or one that's all your own. This podcast is about empowering you. It's about empowering you to dream big and to be inspired. You'll hear from incredible women in a wide variety of fields, and hopefully some that you've never heard of before. Women who build robots and roadways, firefighters, C suite professionals surrounded by men, social media mavens, entrepreneurs, and more. I am so glad we get to go on this journey together. Hey, everybody, this is Julie and welcome to women with cool jobs. today. I'm so excited to introduce Judaline Cassidy. She's a plumber, a trades woman and activist, a podcast host, a motivational speaker and the founder of the nonprofit tools and trs Inc. She is an inspiration. And I so enjoyed talking to her. She has worked in a variety of different settings in New York City for more than 20 years as a plumber and a trades woman. She's worked on everything from new construction builds an 80 and 90 storey buildings. And she's also now working as a city of New York employee and public housing, working with families basically improving their everyday life. And so just the idea that there are so many possibilities within this field, and she really did an amazing job of opening my eyes to the different possibilities of what plumbers even do and all the roles that they play. It's not just working with a toilet. The other thing that I think was a huge takeaway for me, was just the idea of rethinking how we picture trades people. Usually, if you picture an electrician, a plumber, mechanic, do you ever picture a woman? I don't. And it makes me sad. But yet it also makes me happy because I found her. And this is exactly the reason why I'm doing this podcast to show that as women, we can do so much. We need to imagine that we can do it, we need to see people who are doing it. And then we need to reach out, you know, go outside of our comfort zones and do it ourselves. I am thrilled to have you listened to this conversation. She is just one of the most confident people, one of the most delightful people that I've gotten to talk to and I hope you learn as much as I did during this conversation. I hope it makes you think about the stereotypes of not only trades people but women in the trades. And I hope that encourages some of you to be a trades person yourself and to go after it. Like Judaline said, you just have to go out and try to find it. Don't wait for it to come to you. Enjoy our conversation. And thank you for listening. Hey, Judaline, I am so excited. You are here today on women with cool jobs.

Judaline Cassidy: 4:19

Thanks for having me, Julie. I'm really excited to be here.

Julie- Host: 4:23

Thank you so much. So I was instantly excited when I found out about you because you are truly the epitome of who I wanted on this podcast. You are a plumber. And not only are you a plumber, you're tradeswomen an activist, a podcast host a motivational speaker and the founder of the nonprofit tools and trs Inc. So you are just a woman of many talents. And I know that you've already inspired so many people so I appreciate your coming on and inspiring even more

Judaline Cassidy: 5:00

Thank you. Thank you for giving me this up.

Julie- Host: 5:03

You're so welcome. So, I would love to talk to you a little bit about what you're doing now. And just if you could explain, in your own words, what is your job.

Judaline Cassidy: 5:15

So my job is the most awesome his job in the whole wide world, we protect the health and safety of the nation and nations. I am a plumber, and I've been a plumber for over 20 years plus. And my job is to make sure I keep potable water, which is drinking water and non potable water, keep them separate to keep us healthy. And that's what I do on a daily basis.

Julie- Host: 5:44

Awesome. I appreciate that in so many ways. Right? We all need that water, we don't realize how important it is, especially I'm in a desert I am in Arizona. So it's we really have to recognize here how important water is, and especially that drinking potable water. So I would love to go back a little bit before we talk about where you are now and talk about how did you get into the field of plumbing? How did you land in this position.

Judaline Cassidy: 6:16

So I think I got it, I got into plumbing by pure accident in the sense that it wasn't something that I envisioned for myself, I growing up. I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, which is one of the most beautiful Caribbean islands ever. And I wanted to be a lawyer. And after I finished my secondary school, I couldn't afford to attend university. And because my great grandmother, she passed away, so the trades was the next best free option. So I chose plumbing over electrical because I figure I'll get wet, electrical you get shocked. And

Julie- Host: 7:02

that's quite a reasoning.

Judaline Cassidy: 7:03

That's how I did it. And I actually, once I started doing it, I actually fell madly in love with plumbing. And I'm actually still madly in love with plumbing. I think this is the longest relationship I've had. You know, plumbers. So that's kind of like how I, I got into plumbing, just by pure necessity of wanting to have a job and take care of myself.

Julie- Host: 7:31

Yeah. And it sounds like you really wanted some sort of education to go to go further. And while you were I guess getting your education and plumbing. Were there a lot of women in your classes? Or was it just you as the sole woman? No. Well, when

Judaline Cassidy: 7:45

I so I started plumbing in Trinidad and Tobago, I was one of the fish, three women to get into that program. So three of us was in the program. And I think close to the end, two of us. One dropped out. And then the last year I left and I came to the United States, but a lot of times, like years went by I came to the United States and I actually was a babysitter and nanny and a housekeeper before I got back into plumbing. And when I got back into plumbing years ago, I would be the one and only only one on a job site. So it it was really, really difficult at the beginning of my career. But it it was so worth it. Like you know, even even those difficult dark times. I just stayed true to the love of the trade. Like that kept me going when things got difficult.

Julie- Host: 8:42

Yeah. And so I I wanted to point out because I love when I was doing my research on you, I love that you said jobs don't have genders? And in all that you do, I feel like you are just so committed to this mission. And I wanted to ask a little bit about your experience being that you are a female? And what what was that like, just in another being a female and then being a black female, if that added to it, especially given the current situation, politics and everything going on? I would love to sort of hear your your thoughts on that. And if things have shifted, which I'm crossing my fingers, that they've shifted, hopefully for the positive, you know, despite some of the things that are going on now, but just if you could share your experience.

Judaline Cassidy: 9:33

Yeah, I would say my experience, a lot of some of it was negative, but I walk into every space, whether it be a movie theater, whether it be a restaurant, knowing that I'm a black immigrant woman and the world sees me differently. So I don't walk in with a guard up but I know that things are going to be different for me and I will have to work twice as hard as somebody else. So for most people Black woman we can, like, accept that fact whether we like it, but we just thought it That sounds. So that in itself was difficult because sometimes people have a vision and, and if you see me people you don't see me but I'm really tiny. So I'm like four feet 11 and seven, eight. I love saying that. And I'm really small and I was really tiny back then when I got in. So when somebody looks at you, and they see just the exterior, without actually getting to know your grid, your passion, your your brain and how smart or how intelligent, you're organized, they lose out. So that a lot of times people missed out on that opportunity. But I my, my personality of take no prisoners. Today's No, is tomorrow's he has helped me get further and have gotten a lot better than the industry. I'm a union plumber. And a lot of times, you know, I used to be the only woman at my union meeting. But now there's more and more women coming on board but not enough. And not as fast as it should be. And I think it's because if I ask you do you know a woman, plumber, and I'll ask you that do you know woman plumber,

Julie- Host: 11:18

not one year my first and I was so happy to find you existed? Yeah, literally. I think that's the most shocking thing is they had never dawned on me to even think of there being a woman plumber

Judaline Cassidy: 11:31

like And therein lies the problem.

Julie- Host: 11:33

Yeah, it had literally never dawned on me to ask that question.

Judaline Cassidy: 11:37

And that's what we're trying to change. And the fact that television movies or any of those mediums does not show a woman plumber, or electrician or just think about it so our girls cannot even see you know, somebody adorable, cute like me, short, like damn, awesome, like them being a plumber, because all the pictures they've ever seen is been a man. So that's what we do, why we say jobs don't have genders. And we I definitely teach the little girls that doesn't have genders. You can do whatever you want. Because Miss gitlin said that?

Julie- Host: 12:16

Yes, so fantastic. I think I'm, I might borrow that from you. Because it's just such an amazing concept. And something that I hope, you know, as we go forward, and as my kids, you know, when they grow up that we do start seeing more women who have these jobs that are typically male dominated now.

Judaline Cassidy: 12:37

But I think we have to do a pot, we have to demand it. And the way that I say demanded, I'm not talking about taking a flag and running down the street, that's what I'm talking about. Search for it. You need somebody to do fix your car. And your woman, why not search for a woman or mechanic. I know a couple. If you look for someone to do a tile job, and the beauty of what is happening now, we are not we are connected through through platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, you can literally search and you will find a female plumber, it might be hard for you to find one maybe you know, depending on where you live, but you have to put the work in and you can search and find females doing the most amazing things that you never thought women were doing.

Julie- Host: 13:28

Yeah, I love your idea of actually searching for people. And especially those like you know, those trade industries that we wouldn't normally think about women in when you mentioned mechanic, literally also had never dawned on me that there would be a woman who has mechanic shop because all the people I've ever seen in that industry, not that I'm that old, but I've lived long enough where you know, I've taken my car in it and I've always seen men, not not one woman except for someone who's answering the phones.

Judaline Cassidy: 14:03

That's it and and and these tons of women out there that have businesses that do these things, but nobody supports them. Nobody sees them on. But believe me, Instagram, such trade woman of Instagram. And you find a lot of us out there making it happen on a daily basis.

Julie- Host: 14:21

I love that. I definitely will and I hope to have some of them on my show.

Judaline Cassidy: 14:25

Yeah, definitely.

Julie- Host: 14:26

So okay, well thank you for that suggestion. And then I want to also talk about gender specifically, do you have a first memory or first instance of being treated differently from your male peers because you were a woman?

Judaline Cassidy: 14:42

I think for my age, growing up in the Caribbean islands, it started very young, being told that you have to do things differently because you're girls So growing up in the Caribbean, girls, we were taught to cook and clean the house and We really wasn't allowed to go out and play with, you know, basketball or football with the guys until we did like a couple things. So I think it starts, it started then. And then as I got into the trade, literally people would look at me and said, Oh my gosh, she's so cute. Like, I don't have a mirror. You should do something else like, so Viva men would tell me that, but it wasn't like, I'll be honest, like, they wasn't really trying to be mean, they themselves did not envision a woman being a plumber. So, or they themselves didn't envision a woman being electrician or automatic auto mechanic, they just themselves for so long, have been in this world where they were told that only men can do this. So I knew it wasn't coming from that place of like, Hey, honey, sugar, baby girl, just go home and do some dishes. I mean, it wasn't like

Julie- Host: 15:53

that. It wasn't like negative.

Judaline Cassidy: 15:55

Yeah, they were trying it. They were trying to be sweet and kind because they would think in my body is tiny and fragile. To them looking at it, like, do you want to put yourself through this and, and being a plumber. It's not for everyone. I'm not even though I encourage a lot of women to explore jobs in male dominated careers. You have to, you know, get your workout on. You know, I mean, and you kind of like being outside, and we work in extreme elements. So I could see where that was coming from. But then so I know, I know, as much the difference. As a black woman when somebody is being, it's my race and when it's been my gender. So I knew there was times when guys literally was doing stuff because of my gender, like my foreman or somebody who wouldn't give me the task of installing a particular thing and rather send me for coffee only. So as a woman in a trade, sometimes that happens to you a lot. You get sent out for coffee, and you don't get to learn your stuff. But I did not take that I stood up for myself and not to know the like our demand my rights as a US citizen for shelter. Not like that, but I literally let them know that I know it might come as a surprise. But I love plumbing as much as you do. And I think what happened is, the shift happens that to the point where my male brothers didn't even see me. As doodling the girl they saw me is one of them. They would say, oh, you're not like the other girls? And I'm like, Yes, I am. I'm always a girl. Because, yes, because I did the work just like them. Yeah, I showed up every single day, even this island girl, when the temperature went below, you know, 30 degrees, I still went to work even No, I hated the coal. But I love my I showed up just like them. And I put the work in just like they did. And I did a good job. And even the ones who didn't speak to me sometimes on jobs, nobody, none of the guys would speak to me, there would always be one. But even those people because I was consistent with my work ethics, and the way I did my work will finally come to me and say man, you do you really good plumber, you know. So you you have to put the work in, as you know, and show them show the boys what you got, they can have all the fun.

Julie- Host: 18:29

That's awesome. So what is it that you think kind of led you to be able to have that breakthrough, where you got the moment to show the menu we're working with, like, I can do this too, let me have my chance. I don't want to just go get coffee, like I can do more than this. I am more than this.

Judaline Cassidy: 18:50

So I didn't wait for them to tell me and a lot of women, we always looking for validation from other people. And once I figured out right, so this is a little secret for all the ladies listening and the men listening might be like, why was she telling I was secret. A lot of men are confident when they don't even know what the hell they doing. And woman could be our, let's give it a pie number 99% sure of what every task it is they doing, but would not sell themselves. And once I realized that the men always act like they know exactly what to do, and they don't really know how to do it. And I know how to do it, but I'm acting like, I don't know how to do it. I'm gonna change this and I changed the way I viewed myself. And the way you view yourself is how other people are going to view you. So if you believe like I can do something, you're going to carry yourself like you can do it. You're going to act like you don't do it. If you don't believe that you are strong. You're going to carry yourself that way. So it starts with the belief. So once I made that shift, I started walking on the job site, like I owned it, and everybody always tells me that, like, you, I even know I don't I, I work in there, like I actually own this big building. And it's not. And it's not like a cockiness, it's just that we have to be more confident as women in the roles that we do and just own it, and own it. Because we already know a lot more than we think that we know. So that was a shift.

Julie- Host: 20:25

I love that so much. And I think pointing that out that idea of being confident in what you can do. And I think that's something for me that I'm having to learn myself, like, I need to be more confident and act more confident and what I'm able to do. And yeah, it's like your when you talk about 99% there, but there's that one tiny percent, right? You're like, I'm not so sure about this aspect, or like, I don't know, I'm feeling a little uncomfortable here. But we like let it affect our mindset. And we need to get like be like, No, I've got this, like, I'll figure out that, you know, 1% or 5%. And like, let's do it. So I yeah, I love that so much. And do you feel like just that shift in mindset of like owning it has allowed you to get where you are today? Because I know you've done so many, just really extraordinary things. And you've really helped influence a lot of women and girls in the trades or to be interested in the trades.

Judaline Cassidy: 21:28

Yeah, I would definitely say it's that mind shift. I mean, like, you cannot expect someone to believe in you. If you don't believe yourself. Like, I'm not saying like, there was things about myself that, you know, I still struggle with. And I still have doubt, but I do it while I'm having the doubts. You know what I mean? Like, you are you on this podcast, and I don't, I don't like being on television, I don't like having to do interviews, you said I was speaker. I do it. But I really like I'm afraid every time I do it. I'm deadly serious. And I do it still, while I'm scared because I know that I cannot teach my girls, my princess warriors to be fearless. And I don't do these things. So I step out of my comfort zone and do these things. And I think a lot of women would find if they step out of their comfort zone zones, like there is amazing job opportunities in the construction industry that pays extraordinary well. And it gives you a sense of satisfaction that can never be taken away from you. And if you acquire skill in the trades, it doesn't, it could be shoemaking, it could be any kind of trade itself. You can literally pick a map on a world map, take a dot toss it and move there because you have a transferable skill. And that's what I love about my job and that I can literally pick up and I got to sell the house and that but I could literally move to somewhere else in the world and continue being a plumber.

Julie- Host: 23:12

That is such an interesting thought too, because sometimes a lot of skills are very specific. And you have to be in a specific area to get a good job. And so I would love to hear now like when it comes down to the day to day stuff that you do as a plumber. What does your typical day look like? What are sort of the tasks or the responsibilities that you have? Yeah, so

Judaline Cassidy: 23:35

my, my life changed a little bit. I used to work in new construction, which is like in New York City, the landscape of the tall buildings, 90 stories, 80 stories, I love those huge buildings. And on a day to day basis, I would get up at My day starts at seven. So I will actually get up at 330 because I commuted from Pennsylvania to New York City, I will get up I will pray and thank God and I'm above another day. Meditate, I'll do some push ups, some workout and I drive I get to the city. And then on the job site, I would be installing copper pipe cast iron risers and braising and soldering and thread and pipe for that brings gas that brings water into the building. And I do that all day. I sleep eat repeat plumbing. That's what I did. But before and now a year ago, I decided to I left the big high rise construction and now I am a city of New York employee. So I work for New York City as a plumber. Now we can in public housing, though in that field that I worked before. I built huge buildings that I never got to see the immediate effect in the sense of somebody moved in and Using all the awesome things that I provided that's in the wall. But now what I do with my job, my job actually makes people's life better to plumbing now on a daily basis. So I go in and I repair cracked pipes with I work with someone else. I am a helper and he's the plumber, because I'm starting all over again. And don't forget, you can start all over again. And we really go in there and help people on a day to day basis with crack pipes, flooding, clogs, everything you can think of that can go wrong in a old building with old pipes. That's what we do. Wow,

Julie- Host: 25:39

that's awesome. Does it feel different? Because you're actually seeing the people now that that are benefited? Yeah, I

Judaline Cassidy: 25:46

actually, I tell people this, I love this even more, because I love helping people. And to know that the skill that I have, is making someone's life better through plumbing is a high for me. And I go in there and I see them really being upset and sad and water everywhere. And they know that this superhero that flew in with a Carhartt jeans and and the sweatshirts is covered in there to make it better, you know. And when I leave, you should see how grateful and thankful people are like thank you. Thank you. Thank you, you. So you see that immediate effect of what you do, especially now during COVID. People still need help. And we still had to go in there and provide that app. So I love that aspect of the job being to help people. But then I miss the big construction because I love blueprints. And I love layout and I love solving puzzles. And the big construction sites Give me that euphoric high of figuring it all out. I love figuring out where the pipe goes and ordering material and that pot I miss

Julie- Host: 26:59

well, and it sounds like a such a difference, I guess between what you were doing working in the high rises. And now what you're doing on like a very sort of personal level. But both equally important, just so different. And and it's something I would have never thought of either of like, oh, there are so many different opportunities as a plumber for you to go in and work in such different settings.

Judaline Cassidy: 27:22

Exactly. And that's what one of the things that I tried to do is change people's vision of what they envision employment to be. Most people envision a plumber only the toilet bowl, and I try to get people and the kids not to think that and some of it, I would say the plumbers fault. We have our trucks with the guy with the toilet with the plunger. And plumbers actually do a lot more than now. You go to a hospital and you didn't realize that all the vacuum the gas lines, nitrogen all of those lines, plumbers do that oxygen we do all that pipe in Wow. Yeah, we work. We work in refineries, gas stations, or just pipe plumber. So when you think of a pipe and you see it, think about a plumber doing that we do a lot more than unclog toilet bowls. We Yeah, no, seriously, like we really do. And what we do is science because and I want people to think like if you're coming into being a plumber, there's so many different phases. You can work employment, you can be a plumbing engineer, you love math, you can be a plumbing engineer, you can be a draftsman for a plumber, you can be a welder. We weld all of the oil refinery, all the lines that move oil from one place to another, hey, plumbers do that. So there's so much to plumbing.

Julie- Host: 28:41

Yeah, that's really amazing. I honestly, I don't know too much about the trades in general. I'm not handy myself. But I so wish I was now that I'm getting older and have the house but it's so nice to hear about these different examples, because it's definitely enlightening me and then, you know, I think to like what you said that typical vision on the truck of the man with a plunger near a toilet, what have you is not really a very accurate description of all that you do. And it's not only not an accurate visual, but it's not a job that if somebody sees that they want to be it like right. So it's like, why would I want to be that guy with the plunger unplugging somebody?

Judaline Cassidy: 29:22

Yeah. So if we change that, and you draw the awesome plumber, standing up with a wrench looking really tall and awesome, like I haven't one of my pictures.

Julie- Host: 29:31

I saw that one. It's awesome.

Judaline Cassidy: 29:34

And it looks different. It's like this person is proud of their job. It's almost like the Maytag guy. That's how I you know.

Julie- Host: 29:41

Yeah, well and you look happy, you look powerful. You look knowledgeable, you know, all these really awesome things. So do you have a very favorite aspect of your job? Like if you could pick one thing.

Judaline Cassidy: 29:53

So the very favorite part of my job is my paycheck.

Julie- Host: 29:57

Fair enough. Fair enough. Okay, so

Judaline Cassidy: 30:00

Yes, I had to always say it's always fun saying, but no the fun part of my job. I love copper. I love soldering and brazen credit raising so brazen is a higher heat. It's a Weldon is considered like welding, but you don't have to get the whole Weldon, she'll you know you still wear glasses, darker ones, but it's it's a very very very high temperature we use that in hospitals a lot. Okay reason. So I love braising and I love doing copper. So those are my favorites and actually like laying out all the racks that my copper has to go on, is Yeah, I love it because, and I'm dyslexic, so I love solving puzzles. So the trades is really awesome. And it's good for somebody like me, because I love to keep things organized. So plumbing is great for that.

Julie- Host: 30:54

So that is a perfect segue into another question I have for you. For someone who is interested in being a plumber, what do you think are the top skills or characteristics or things that they would want to enjoy in order to be successful at it?

Judaline Cassidy: 31:10

So I would say, first of all, in anything you do in life, you have to have gratitude. So I want you to like just have gratitude that, Oh, I'm above ground, living, I'm winning, winning. And so you have that. So you have to have gratitude. Because a lot of times we take for granted what we what we have. So I believe that my attitude of being grateful, even when it's docked will help. So having gratitude and then also applying for a job with with a union and get into union apprenticeship. Or even asking a company even if it's not union, getting out there and asking like, Hey, are you hiring plumbers, I want to start so but and you have to be the type of person that shows up every day. So if you're a person who likes to sleep late, the trades is not for you. I'm sorry, seven o'clock start doesn't mean you show up at seven o'clock. Okay, that's we start working at seven o'clock. So you have to be a person that is punctual, and you have to be a person that is good working with others. The whole thing about what I love about my trade is everybody like we call each other brothers and sisters. And yeah, I love that advice. He really is it really does. And everything is teamwork, because our safety is interlinked. So you have to be a person who's willing to work with other people, and also be a person who is teachable. Because the great thing about the trades is, you don't need a college degree, quit get a college degree so that you can be like the employment engineer and all those other levels. But just the, the knowledge of working well with others, and also just knowing that you have to come to work at a certain time and you do that. So that's it, the boss is happy that you show up every single day, and you're teachable. So you went in already now, all you got to do is now you got to learn your craft, and just keep on learning. So like the unions, you know, you have to have like get like a high school diploma at least to get in, you can get into the trades at any age. It's not like you have a window of like 17 to 21 of these people come in at 35. There's people who leave being in Wall Street being some people was going to school to be a doctor that I have known and, and decided to become in the trades because they like I don't have to stress and it's not that stressful. This job. It's all about showing up and put into work. Put the work in that's the key showing up and put into work and you're not going to be micromanaged in the trade our yeses, Oh, yes. And our no is over no meaning your boss tells you what he wants you to do. He doesn't have to come to you, like 49 times a day, send you an email, follow up a circle email. That doesn't happen. You just do his job. And we all do that. So I love that about it. And you mentioned a little bit about how it doesn't require education. But if people do want to get an education as well and a specific trade, that that's an option. And I was hoping you could talk about the places where people might go if they do want an education and what that would lead to versus if you did it like what would the difference be and opportunities or kind of starting out. So there's different ways to get into the trades for men and women. So I think if your vet the trades is a perfect veteran. The trades is a perfect fit. There's programs like helmets to hardhats that you can go and they'll help you get into the trades. There is Chicago women in the trades, Oregon women in trades and these programs. You get in and you get to try different trades. There's like us, some of them have like a six week program, eight week program, you come and a lot of them are free that you and they help you get into the union or place you with companies. So you can search like the National Building Trades. And you can see all the different jobs that are available as women. There's tons of organizations out there, like Nevada women in trades. New York has non traditional employment, our United Association, which is my union has, which is I love this program, it's a for vets. And we help the vets come from you know, transition from one helmet to different helmet, you know, so you just, you just have to search and also know that what I love about the trades is it's the other four year degree you could earn while you learn. And you don't have to go in that extreme debt to become a plumber. But while you let's say you get into the apprenticeship, and while you're in the apprenticeship, a lot of unions now actually pay, which is amazing. I wish they did it when I went on for you to get a college degree. Wow, imagine that.

Julie- Host: 36:09

And this is a very naive question, but because I am unfamiliar with the trades, just every trades person belong to a union.

Judaline Cassidy: 36:17

No, no, not every trades person belong to a union. Okay. It's, it's, it's a great thing to belong to the union, because the wages and the protection, the OSHA put and just the way it's all set up, you have a pension, your 401k plan. It's a great thing, but not not everybody starts off being in the Union. I was non union until I got in. It's a great path. But there's other ways to learn the trade and try to get into the union at the same time.

Julie- Host: 36:45

So hey, okay, thank you for that. So we already talked about you can't be it if you don't see it. But I also wanted to talk about just the jobs don't have genders a little bit more and kind of the those two, you know, combined, I think are so powerful, because you can't be it if you don't see it and and I feel like what's that sort of the reasoning behind why you created the tools and trs Inc that nonprofit?

Judaline Cassidy: 37:14

Yeah, I spoke at a conference and in my speech, I had said that you should give a girl a two and a tiara, which is given a confidence, independence and most of all power. And I said that because I wanted girls to know, and women to know that you could be very effeminate and be in the trades. Like, if you see me during the week, I am in my car pants, like I said t shirts. bandanas, like Bon Jovi, you know, I you know, like the rock on bandanas. I bandanas. And then with the time of my skullcap. And then on the weekend, I love my wedges and my stilettos and my. So I wanted girls to know that you can like both like, you don't have to choose. Like, if you're in a trade, I have to become like a man. No, I am very effeminate. Really, every aspect of both of me is incur. So that's why I started chosen tiaras. I also really wanted there to change a shift in the country of how we view and portray what is man's work and what is women's work. So that was kind of like the idea behind jobs don't have genders, which is trademark. Yeah.

Julie- Host: 38:29

Awesome. Yeah.

Judaline Cassidy: 38:31

I just wanted. Yeah, I just wanted to shift that narrative and turn it upside down and let people see. Like, if I do a speaking engagement, I'm not coming in my workloads. I want you to see that. I can actually do that. And I can do this. Wow, look at that. So that's what we actually do tools and Tiaras we really try our best to it's all about the girls. For me. It's all about the girls. And I have become a really one of the world's best plumbers self of self proclaimed. Because like I said, it's confidence I have Yeah, exactly right. And I wouldn't have become a great plumber if men didn't teach me and share their knowledge with me. And a lot of my brothers stood up for me and advocated for me to do a lot of things. But if I want to see more girls and women in the trade, I have to show them that. So at Towson tiaras all our instructors are women. So that the girls and it really makes a big difference. I see. We're already seeing the shift. We have girls who came to our summer camp, actually going into college and learning, engineering and wanted to be architects we have girls who came to our summer program that actually went decided from to go to CTU high schools instead.

Julie- Host: 39:47

Wow.

Judaline Cassidy: 39:48

And what is CTU CTE is career technical education. So it's these high schools exist, but they don't get a lot of support that people know a lot of people Parents don't know that they feel like if your kid got into the trade is because they wasn't smart enough to go to college. And that is totally incorrect. Because think about it, Julie, you are in a building, and you go to the movie theater, you go to the Eiffel Tower, you go to all of these places, and trust unequivocally that this is not going to fall on you. Somebody had to conceive it and build it. And so you had to be really smart to do that.

Julie- Host: 40:30

Yeah.

Judaline Cassidy: 40:31

So just think about it. So don't think when you kids decided, they Mom, I don't want to go to college, can I just like go to CDL school and maybe learn plumbing, and you look down, that's not what you should encourage them. Because we, we, we need people in all of these jobs. And every job, it has equal value. And just know that as a parent, if your child decided to go this route, you're going to save yourself some dollars to buy a BMW. Okay? That's kind of like why I did it. I just wanted to make a shift. And I'm passionate about bringing back the trades and bring in like a, like a respectability, like, you are definitely sure that most people are definitely going to need a plumber, before they need a lawyer. Not saying that you don't need a lawyer. I'm just saying like you You have a house, something the water heater is gone? Who is going to call let me call the lawyer? Oh, no, he doesn't do that. So you're gonna call the plumber or electrician I need the circuit is not working on. So that that's what i mean that I, I'm just saying it in a fun way. But it's really true, you're more than likely going to need somebody like me, then somebody else like a lawyer that's in a day job, something's wrong with the job. I'm just saying like the probability is greater.

Julie- Host: 41:54

Well, and I think that's such an important perspective to have the shift that you're talking about, that all people's jobs have value. And some I think, just over time, for whatever reasons we have seemed to diminish the value. And it certainly seems like trades have gotten a little bit of that, you know, where that role is diminished. But the importance of what you do as a plumber or an electrician does, or I'm sure you can name off countless other people who I would know to name

Judaline Cassidy: 42:23

sheetmetal workers, iron workers.

Julie- Host: 42:27

Yeah, all those people, right? We don't necessarily think about what they do, but we inhabit the buildings that you have built using those skills. Yes. And I think that's such a really important point, you know, that I actually probably wouldn't have thought of before I talked to you, I don't know that, you know, all the all these things, it just would have never dawned on me to consider or to think about. And ironically, my dad's actually a lawyer. But you know, but but you're right, because he does a very specific role. And it's very important. But yeah, I don't need him to come into my house when I'm having an issue, fixing something, right? I need like a plumber or an electrician, or Yeah, and I happen to meet them usually more often than I would be my dad services. And believe

Judaline Cassidy: 43:12

me remember, I wanted to be a lawyer. And I still Yeah, fascinated with law, and I love that. But I just wanted to show that we actually as a country, we we the tradespeople built, built, built and continue to build this country and our infrastructure. We need to fix our bridges. You look at the bridges, you look at the buildings, they need to be updated. And if everybody goes to college and learn programming or coding, where would we be we would be in danger. And this thing, it's it's amazing, but that's why I do what I do with tools and Tiaras.

Julie- Host: 43:50

I wanted to read because I was on your your website for tools and Tiaras. And I want to actually read some things that I just thought were so like really deep, and I love the meaning behind it. So you said at tools and trs, we believe that each day is a chance to make the most of our values, skills, possibilities in humanity. And that is so all encompassing. I love that. And then furthermore, you have for the mission, we hope to build a lasting passion and curiosity within the present generations of girls and women that will make them consider a career as an electrician, Carpenter plumber or even an auto mechanic. And that is just like those ideas are so powerful. And and the idea that like Yes, why can't women do all these things? And going back to you know, you can't be it if you don't see it. That is sheer brilliance, because literally it would have never dawned on me growing up that I could have been a mechanic that I could have been a scientist even because I never had anyone around me doing that I could have been a plumber. I mean just tons of jobs. And my, my parents and my family were completely supportive, they would have been like, yeah, like go to it, but I just didn't know to know about it. I hadn't seen anyone doing it.

Judaline Cassidy: 45:10

So that's why it's important. That's why I put in for girls and women to see someone like me. You know, I mean, I do this, and I, I love being a plumber. And I get DMS from women all the time that said, because of senior story, I went, and I decided to become a welder, or plumber. And those are the moments that you know, when the imposter syndrome set in, because we all have it. And I feel like am I doing enough my problem in life is that I was feeling I'm not doing enough, where there's just a struggle of my own. But um, but when I get that, or I get, like, I did a workshop for women in omega, and a woman come up to me and said, as a little girl growing up, she wanted to be a plumber. And they told her that she couldn't be a plumber. And she chose a different kind of plumbing, she became like a nurse, and did plumbing that we like. And she said, and she was crying, and he could see the pain in our eyes, that this weekend, I gave her this opportunity to be a plumber. And now she's just gonna be fixing stuff around the house. And that's, that's the power behind what I'm trying to do just to give women to know that when they see me, and they see how vulnerable and how honest I am about my struggle as a plumber, I still make mistakes, but in those, and I figure it out, and that's what I want to show girls that you could look just like me, or you don't have to look like me. Or you could just be in you. You're amazing. And I was summer camps. We teach girls a mantra, I have them say it every morning. And I am. I am almost like Mel Gibson in Braveheart. And I rile them up as warriors, because they are princess warriors. And I asked them a question who is awesome? And who is fearless and who is strong? And these answers? I am. And that's what I want to continue, keep doing. raising an army of fearless little girls just gonna just take over all of these jobs.

Julie- Host: 47:12

That's fantastic. I would love to see that one day, you know, going off that? Are there ways that women in particular can reach out and find support in different ways? Or what are the best avenues for them to search for that additional support to give them the confidence like I can do this? I there is a path there's a woman who's doing this and there is a path. You have ideas for how they can find that support or community.

Judaline Cassidy: 47:43

Yeah, I think the community exists. I would say, before women we worked and lived in silos. But even I don't like social media. It connected us. Right. Right. Exactly. So on social media, you this tons of groups that are trade, women driven women, women in trades, trades, women, women of IMG, all of that is it's it's out there, if you want it. So just take this little advice. I wanted to start tools and terrorists now I work with my trades. I knew nothing, nothing about running a nonprofit. And I basically continue to run a nonprofit on Google. I just Google everything and I figure it out. I started a podcast, I didn't know how to do it what to do, and I figured it out. So I want you to know that it's out there. But you can't sit and wait for someone to say hey, become a plumber or you need mentors or whatever you have to do your part and when you do your part what I love about what happens with my life and I'm speaking for myself because sometimes we speak in general but I noticed when I put the effort in the universe finds a way to match me. And every time I want to do something and I try it matches me I mean I started tools and towers and I was funding it for a long time with my own salary, my own plumbing salary and the universe was like okay you doing that you pick it up bottles and recycling cans to have the workshop for the women and girls Okay, I'll help you get a sponsor then I get a sponsor for this one and I try but I but it's me doing that part of it is you have to do the work so as women reach out find you know use what we have used the social media use the LinkedIn use the Instagram use the Facebook groups and and if you decided to become an a trade and you live in the middle of nowhere and is no one else but you on the job site. And today you had a very difficult day, which out in a group because I found I wanted to quit many times during the plumbing when I had no one to help me stay. My motivator was the fact that I wanted the money. Fair enough. So I do That was my driving force. But it was days I wish I had another woman to say to me, I'll get better. And now you do. I mean, try, just reach out part of it is you reaching out and asking for help as women, we tend to want to do everything ourselves.

Julie- Host: 50:16

Yes, yes, I had someone on my podcast as she used the word solopreneur. And I was like, that is so great term. Because yes, like, we try to do everything ourselves and get very overwhelmed. And, you know, even doing this podcast, like I'm slowly having to learn, like, what can I What do I need to ask for help for from someone else. And also, with what you said, I think that idea of reaching out and trying to make connections, and building your community is such an important aspect. And it's something that I'm trying to work on, you know, being brave enough to just even contact you, you know, when I saw you, and I'm so glad that I did, because we're having this incredible conversation. And I've learned so much. So I love that. And I, I wanted to ask too, about the tools into your eyes and what you're doing now, given that we are recording this during the pandemic, and things have shifted, what are you guys offering now, for women and girls?

Judaline Cassidy: 51:18

So for women and girls, we had canceled every workshop when pandemic hit it like everybody else, we canceled everything, our summer camp or monthly workshops. And I was I had to make a pivot. And in life, we always have to make pivots and do things that you know. So we actually moved our summer camp to a virtual space. And I was just doing it like, I'm going to use one of those office terms of beta test. So I did a beta test. And I said, you know, I'll just try it, and see if it works. And I didn't think it would work. Because of what we do as tradespeople. It's all hands on and visual. And I'm teaching you how to use the drill, I'm teaching you how to use the welder. But we shifted a virtual space. And it actually showed us that, you know, we can actually reach people all over the country all over the world. Because we were getting inundated with people wanting tools and Tiaras all over the country. I was like, wow, this really did work. So sometimes things happen. And we had to make a pivot. So that's what we do. And now we moved everything to a virtual space and trying to figure out how to make it work. And in that we grow in and becoming better people just by figuring out how to move our programs over. So that virtual space, so we like ritual, I'm people are all zoomed out. But that's how we did

Julie- Host: 52:45

the ability to reach people, you know, not just in the local area. But across right across the country or, you know, potentially even across the world. It just sort of opened everything up to the possibilities. It sounds like

Judaline Cassidy: 52:58

Yes, it did. So like usually our summer camps. We have one in New Jersey, and we have one in New York and the girls can come from New York and New Jersey. And this year by having it virtual, we were able to have girls from California, Chicago, participate. So it like you said exactly what you said.

Julie- Host: 53:17

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's one of the weird things. That that's like that silver lining that I found that through is the ability to do things virtually, it's sort of made certain things much more possible for people to participate, rather than keeping it to one locale. Yeah. And so I wanted to ask how do people find tools and trs if they would be interested in doing something virtually?

Judaline Cassidy: 53:46

Yeah, I definitely follow us on Instagram and Facebook and LinkedIn. And you can subscribe on our website and, and we do not I am stickler for that I'm not going to take your email and sell it to other people. It's just for you to get update because we know a lot of people are not on social media. So that's why we do the subscribers list so we can let you know what's happening with our monthly workshops and our summer camp. So just follow us and come along for the ride and see all the possibilities and the excitement of little girls faces of the when learned to do plumbing and carpentry and stuff. So definitely seek us out on social media. And if you type in tools and Tiaras, Google search, it comes right up, and you can find this.

Julie- Host: 54:36

Thank you. And the last thing I wanted to talk a little bit about was your podcast. It's called tradeswomen talk and I started listening of it myself. You have all sorts of really interesting trades people come in. And I wanted to have you explain that a little bit and just why you created it.

Judaline Cassidy: 54:56

So I created because of the pandemic. Okay, so Enough. So it's so funny like I, we were actually going to do tradeswomen talk in the high schools for girls and boys because we want to change, even young men to see the image of a plumber or electrician, sheetmetal worker, iron worker being a woman. So we were going to have talks where they got to meet women in the trades. Yeah,

Julie- Host: 55:23

brilliant.

Judaline Cassidy: 55:24

And we were going to do that. And then the pandemic happened, and that had to shut down. I saw, I was like, I listened to podcasts, I'm addicted to podcasts. I'm like, oh, maybe I just make it into a podcast. It's kind of like how it started. I didn't know what to do out to figure it out. But the idea behind it is like, I try to interview women and men, we have mostly women. And we also introduce men, but the whole idea was to expose people to people in the trades that you would never thought about some of these people, if you listen to their stories, it's some of them are similar, like mine, they were going to do something else. There was a woman, Tanya haix, that she was studying to be in NASA and I have an accent. But it's, it's no to be studying about being an astronaut and the physics, not to be a national, but the people who plan all of that, like six figures. And she ended up making a whole switch and became an electrician. And now she has her own company. So I just like to introduce people like amazing people in the trades, who I find their stories interesting. And I just want to share their stories with the world. And and and if people listen, they listen in. And the idea is more just to give exposure to the people, my brothers and sisters in arms. In the trades. Yeah. Because they

Julie- Host: 56:47

use that. Brothers and sisters sounds like a giant family. But I you know, I can see how you guys would really have to work as a team in order to all be safe. That makes so much sense. Yeah. And that willingness to have that collaboration, and that trust in one another. Yeah, you

Judaline Cassidy: 57:07

literally have to trust each other. It's that's why I said it's a perfect transition for any veterans out there listening. You're so used to working in teams and having somebody have your back and, and have your six and stuff like that. And that's what it's like in construction because we do dangerous stuff. But what makes it safe and fun is that we do it together. And we really don't leave the job site until we know that everybody's down. Like is Mike here is Judo linear is he it's it's the same. It's that's why I'm saying I've never served. But for my friends who have Yeah, it's such a great transition, the camaraderie, the Brotherhood, the sisterhood. I'm not saying that people don't fight and we don't. It's a family. Yeah,

Julie- Host: 57:50

that's not that's all natural.

Judaline Cassidy: 57:51

I have to set my brother straight, like, hey, but at the end of the day, we wake up and yeah, so it's a perfect transition.

Julie- Host: 57:59

Yeah. So thank you so much for just all of your information. I wanted to leave with one parting thought which would be if you could say anything, as a woman in the trades, to encourage other women to think about either a job in the trades, or just to think about jobs in general and sort of days, a typical jobs or jobs filled with a lot of men, what would you say to them?

Judaline Cassidy: 58:26

I would say, definitely, I want you to go for it. And don't let the boys have all the fun and all the money.

Julie- Host: 58:34

I love it. That's perfect. So with that, thank you so much for being on my podcast. It was a true pleasure. And I hope I get to maybe talk to you in the future and see what you're up to five years or 10 years down the line and all that you've accomplished with your current job with tools and Tiaras and all that I know you will continue to do to engage women and girls.

Judaline Cassidy: 58:59

Thank you for having me. It was a great experience talking to you and just sharing a little bit about my amazing world of being a tradesperson. Thank you for having me.

Julie- Host: 59:12

Hey, everybody. Thank you so much for listening to women with cool jobs. I'll be releasing a new episode every two weeks. So make sure you hit that subscribe button. And if you love the show, please give me a five star rating. Also, it would mean so much if you share this episode with someone you think would love it or would find it inspirational. And lastly, do you have ideas for future shows? Or do you know any Rockstar women with cool jobs? I would love to hear from you. You can email me at Julie at women with cool jobs.com or you can find me on Instagram at women cool jobs. Again, that's women full jobs. Thank you so much for listening and have an incredible