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Kate Barrett was hitchhiking with a friend through Oregon in the early 1970s when a chance encounter set her on a career path.

Barrett and her friend met a retired contractor who offered to teach them carpentry in exchange for their help building him a home in Carver. The two continued on to California to join a women’s commune, but when they couldn’t find it they decided to return to Oregon and take the retired contractor up on his offer.

The pay was low and they lived in a cabin that they built on the back of the property, but learning all aspects of house construction proved invaluable, Barrett said.

鈥淲e had a part in all of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was really good training. We were working for nothing. We got $5 a day that we used for food. It was worth it for us.鈥�

Because Barrett was a member of the women’s liberation movement gaining momentum at the time, learning the traditionally male-dominated trade appealed to her. It also was important to her to do more than break into the construction field.

鈥淚 felt the contribution I could make to the women’s movement was to get in and stay in,鈥� Barrett said. 鈥淚’m going to make a career of this because that’s the only way to prove that women can do this.鈥�

Throughout her 43-year career in construction, Barrett, 66, has been a pioneer. In 1979, she became the first woman in Oregon to graduate with a journeyman certificate from a union carpenter apprenticeship program. Barrett also was the first woman carpenter to work for the Portland Water Bureau, and the first woman to serve the bureau as a public works inspector and now as a senior public works inspector.

In 1989, Barrett and three others founded Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., a nonprofit that promotes success for women in the building, mechanical, electrical and utility trades through education and mentorship. At that time, Oregon Tradeswomen was a small, informal support group for women working in the trades. Today, the organization has nearly 400 members and offers programs that include a women’s pre-apprenticeship class and a trade careers fair for women and girls.

Connie Ashbrook, Oregon Tradeswomen executive director and co-founder, said Barrett has served as a role model for her and other women working in the trades, especially at the Water Bureau.

鈥淚 definitely admire her so much,鈥� Ashbrook said. 鈥淪he’s just a wonderful person.鈥�

After Barrett completed her first construction job 鈥� the retired contractor’s home in Carver 鈥� she worked for several years in Portland remodeling properties for a house moving company.

鈥淚 became foreman for them and I still felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, so I wanted to get into the apprentice programs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got the runaround from all the carpentry unions and nobody would even put down my name.鈥�

Barrett gave up on the idea for a while before deciding she absolutely had to get into an apprenticeship program. In 1975, she succeeded.

鈥淚 did have (carpentry) experience and it did help because a lot of people think women can’t do this,鈥� she said.

After Barrett became a journeyman five years later and continued to work on home remodels, a friend convinced her to apply for a carpenter position with the Water Bureau. Barrett got the job and has spent the past 27 years working for the city of Portland.

When she first started working for the Water Bureau in 1987 Barrett was often the only women on construction sites.

鈥淎ll that women’s place in the home was still going on in the bureau,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I came here, I thought, 鈥楳y God, I can’t believe I’m still dealing with these kinds of attitudes.’ 鈥�

Barrett found that the best way to address her critics was with her actions.

鈥淲orking in the trades gave me so much more self-confidence,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was more like, 鈥業’m going to show them I can do this rather than tell them.’ 鈥�

Now, Barrett is pleased that women are a more common sight when she visits job sites in her role as a senior inspector providing quality assurance of construction companies contracted for city projects.

鈥淭he culture has changed a lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s good to see.鈥�

Barrett is proud to have helped found Oregon Tradeswomen and play a role in showing that working in construction is a viable career option for women.

鈥淚t’s making it available so it’s not climbing over a mountain to get into a trade,鈥� Barrett said. 鈥淚f women want to do it, they should be able to step in and start doing it 鈥� It’s not enough to get into the trades. You have to have the support to get through it.鈥�