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Women in Nontraditional Occupations

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a nontraditional occupation for women is "one in which women comprise 25 percent or less of total employment."

The Maine Department of Labor expands on this definition to declare any occupation in which one sex makes up a large majority of the workers to be an NTO.

Full-time, year-round female workers in Maine earn 77 cents for every $1 that corresponding Maine men earn.

Why enter into an NTO?

• Higher Wages
• Better benefits
• Opportunity for advancement
• Job satisfaction
• Growth in the economy is projected to expand employment in many of these occupations
• There will be strong demand for workers in these fields
• You get to see concrete products of your work
• To be role models for your children and/or other women and girls

Apprenticeship allows you to earn while you learn. While you attend college credit courses on a part time basis, you work full time for your Apprenticeship sponsor.

Many occupations that are dominated by males have shorter training periods than occupations in other field male-dominated occupations have shorter training periods than jobs in other lines of work. NTOs for women commonly offer higher entry-level pay and a career ladder with wages between $20 and $30 per hour.

Translation: You could be earning a living wage only a couple of years after graduating from high school.