My Story

When I was 19 years old, I took a computer class at Alu Like, and the teacher, Papa Mika, knew that office work was not for me. He told me about a non-traditional jobs program for women at the Richards Street YWCA.

The YWCA’s N.E.W. (Non-Traditional Employment for Women) program brought in women to talk about several non-traditional fields, including carpentry, iron work, and being a chef. One of the instructors was Carlita Martinez, an electrician. She hauled in a large piece of plywood, a bundle of pipes, several junction boxes (JBs), and wires and devices. She taught us how a light switch works by having us bend the pipes, connect the wires, and build an electrical box hands-on. I knew right away that this was something I wanted to do. For me, it was a total transformation, a paradigm shift, knowing, “Wow, this is what I want to do.”

Because I was a client of the Children’s Advocacy Center as a child, I was qualified to join their Ho‘omaka program which helped me get back into school and apply for scholarships for tuition and books. I went to Honolulu Community College and eventually joined the IBEW Local 1186 apprenticeship program and earned an A.S. degree in electrical studies.

Looking back, I am one of N.E.W.’s success stories. Going into the electrical field was the right decision for me. I love what I do!

Since joining the union in 1998, I have had the opportunity to work on some of the most exciting job sites in Hawai‘i, including:

• H.R.S.O.C.
• H.A.R.T.
• Berthing Pier at Makalapa
• Ke Ola La‘i highrise condominium
• Mililani Mauka residential subdivision
• Chevron Refinery, Campbell Industrial Park
• Hono‘uli‘uli Sewage Treatment Plant
• 801 South Street highrise condominium
• H-POWER utility plant

I did this as a single mother, and today my son is a teenager. I look forward to growing my own business based on values of integrity, compassion and superior craftsmanship.