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It’s difficult to find a more passionate advocate for women in the construction trades than Rachel Stark.

鈥淚 think some women, they don’t think of it as an option, but they should try it out,鈥� said Stark, a journey level carpenter with R&H Construction. 鈥淭here are literally so many trades, there’s bound to be one that fits you; there are hundreds of different things you can do in the trades and there has to be niche for everyone.鈥�

Stark knows of what she speaks when it comes to construction, having earned journey status a little over a year ago only after an uphill battle that left her lamenting the lack of entry points to the field for high school students.

鈥淔rom when I was a little kid I knew I liked to draw and work with my hands,鈥� she said.

After graduating from high school in 2002, she looked around for options and saw only a college-or-bust path which eventually led her to completing a degree at the Art Institute of Portland.

Upon graduation, Stark found that having a degree meant little when it did not lead to a sustainable job and career path.

鈥淚 got my degree and shortly after that I got a job working as a commercial painter for the season when I graduated,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 liked it, but it wasn’t really going anywhere.鈥�

A job making wooden bicycle frames followed. And while it wasn’t the career breakthrough she was looking for, Stark also found inspiration in woodworking.

鈥淚 worked there for a few years and it was becoming a little stagnant,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o I tried to think about building on the skills I already had.鈥�

Discovering hundreds of open positions in the skilled trades while browsing Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries website led Stark to pursue a career in carpentry.

She signed up for an apprenticeship through the Northwest College of Construction in 2013 and quickly found she had a knack for the work. The academic aspect was no problem for her, and despite being one of the few women in the field, Stark held her own and charged through her first year as an apprentice.

鈥淚’ve always worked with a lot of males, so that wasn’t really an issue for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don’t know if I’ve been lucky, but I’ve been surrounded by good people and I feel like if people want to hear a real struggle, the female bosses that I have started in the late 80s and 90s, and it’s crazy the stuff they went through.

Jason Ramey was Stark’s lead carpentry instructor during her apprenticeship. He’s also the client services coordinator for R&H Construction and Stark’s direct supervisor. Ramey said Stark’s experience mirrors lessons he himself learned years ago.

鈥淭eaching for as long as I have, I’ve seen people come in as old as 55,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had an individual come through that had a master’s in biology, and he was throwing his hands up in the air about if he wanted to get a PhD. And he decided to do construction instead. He basically realized that when you do this, you get paid to learn, and I don’t think you get that in college.鈥�

Personal circumstances led Stark to withdraw from the program for a year, but she rejoined the program and after her second year was able to double up her course load and finish up her apprenticeship in the summer of 2017, right on line with her original four-year timetable.

鈥淭here were definitely days that were long,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd then you go to class at night, dog tired and wet from working outside, but oh yeah, it felt killer, probably as good as getting my bachelor’s.鈥�

These days, their daily routine takes Stark and Ramey across the metro area dealing with warranty items and other small jobs. Or, they could wind up for an extended period of time working on larger projects. It all depends. Either way, Ramey said, Stark has more than proven her worth to the company, both on the job site and as an ambassador for the company and women in trades.

鈥淩&H has several outreach programs,鈥� Ramey said. 鈥淎nd the college has used her a couple of times. She is very enthusiastic about construction and doing the work, and she’s very good at spreading the energy and getting other people involved.鈥�

Katrina Cloud, the director of student services and apprenticeship at NWCC, said Stark made a video during her time as an apprentice that demonstrates her level of enthusiasm and willingness to go the extra mile to help a colleague.

鈥淪he will have a great career in the industry,鈥� Cloud said. 鈥淎nd she’s definitely someone who wants to give back. There are just certain people that stick out.鈥�

Cloud recounted an encounter Stark had with another apprentice who was struggling to discover why her efforts to waterproof a project were failing.

鈥淚t turned out that they had a wet cloth in their pocket,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o just for Rachel to take the time to help another apprentice that’s struggling is pretty fantastic.鈥�

As her experience grew, Stark started branching out and participating in company outreach events involving young people. She found she had a knack for connecting with other women as she spread the word about opportunities in the trades.

鈥淲e’ve done the Women in Trades career fair for a few years and in a few weeks we’re going to Canby High School to do a presentation with a few other folks,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s just to encourage them that it’s an option. We went last year and they asked us to come back. I also talk to my girlfriends and encourage them, and I even got one into an apprenticeship this year.鈥�

It comes down to frustratingly stubborn traditions and gender roles, she added.

鈥淚 think some women, they don’t think of it as an option,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut they should try it out. There are hundreds of different things you can do in the trades, and there has to be niche for everyone.鈥�

Ev Galloni is a vice president at R&H Construction and a veteran tradeswoman herself. She said Stark’s creativity and passion for her work meant that she quickly became a valuable member of the company’s team.

鈥淢y ears perk up when a woman is out in the field,鈥� Galloni said. 鈥淟uckily we have a few women here, and my interest was sparked then. I love to hear it when I hear great responses from superintendents about how she’s carrying her weight and learning. I met her at events, and her attitude is just infectious.鈥�

Galloni said Stark absolutely has excellent management potential should she choose to move in that direction.

鈥淚t’s like this woman needs to go someone here, and we need to focus on her and help her get where she wants to go,鈥� Galloni said. 鈥淪omeone with that creative of a mind needs to be constantly challenged, and she fits that bill absolutely.鈥�

Ramey and others who work with her daily mirror that sentiment.

鈥淚f I was going to say anything it’s that Rachel is my model employee,鈥� Ramey said. 鈥淪he stepped up to the plate when my previous foreman left, and she’s always going to learn new stuff and better herself when she’s working. She’s just a great individual to work with and has a great work ethic.鈥�