WIC Week 2023: Rebecca Nohava

Rebecca Nohava

Journeyworker Bricklayer Local 1 MN/ND/SD

Recruiting/Creative Logistics at the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Apprentice Training Center

ABOUT rebecca:

I am a bricklayer. The granddaughter and daughter of a bricklayer. One might think that bricks have been a part of my entire life, but this is only true if you’re counting busting coin blocks as Mario or stacking Tetris pieces. Creativity and imagination have been the navigators of my life: steering me into extra English classes in high school and a post-secondary art institution with dreams of designing concept art for video games.

I tell people I never saw myself becoming a tradesperson. I dabbled in many environments that allowed me to create things: a barista, a florist, a graphic designer. At age 26, I walked onto a job site with zero construction knowledge. It was foreign and terrifying, but I’ve flourished since then. I put great effort into doing my absolute best and take pride in the fact that I’ve been successful despite the odds. When I earned the opportunity to become the first female masonry foreperson in the metro area, as I was told, I thought I had made it to the summit. I hadn’t, at this point, realized that what I loved most about my work was the opportunity to teach and support the apprentices on the job.

In my current role at the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Apprentice Training Center, my focus is on recruiting and retention. I try to utilize my vastly varied skillset to showcase the beauty and skill of our craft in the hands of our apprentices. It also provides me the unique opportunity to highlight the achievements of fellow tradeswomen and help bring them to the spotlight, create networking opportunities, and fulfill and encourage the role of mentor when needed.

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