Young Invincibles’ Texas office launched its first cohort of the Young Women Apprenticeship Council, a six-month paid opportunity to help shape recommendations to make apprenticeships more accessible and equitable for young people, women, and moms. YI is working with these 12 women to help identify shared challenges and barriers in the school/apprenticeship to workforce pipeline and craft solutions to help make apprenticeships more widely known and available.

Our Young Women Apprenticeship Council will be featured in our “Understanding the Work-Based Learning Landscape for Women and Mothers in Texas” report that will be published in early 2022.

Brazia Crayton
Hello my name is Brazia! I’m a 25-year-old Pediatric Certified Medical Assistant in Round Rock, TX. I completed the CMA Program with ACC, Baylor Scott & White and the Texas Workforce Commission in 2019. Being able to serve my community and neighbors during some of their most vulnerable times is what drives me to keep going and increases my passion to grow and better myself. I look forward to working with the YI Women’s Council to help empower, motivate, and encourage women to become their best selves and build unity to teach and reach our younger generations.

Rebkah Shaka
I live in Dallas, Texas and I am in high school and an apprenticeship program I am completing is a professional club. Something that excites me about this club is that I learn proper behavior like taking care of yourself, when I’m escalating situations somewhere to talk to someone respectfully, resumes, career in finance information, school, and a lot more! Something I look forward to that excites me about talking to other women about apprenticeship programs in Texas is the shape of conversation and celebrating women because we aren’t very credited for our accomplishments and are often seemed as “aggressive” or “ambitious” but when a man does it seems as he is being “confident” and “strong.”

Diana Páez
Hey! My name is Diana Páez, I’m originally from Colombia and currently living in San Antonio, Texas. I completed my digital marketing apprentice program at DCI (Digital Marketing Institute) now called New Apprenticeship. My experience was AMAZING, I learned how to transform my career into a dream job in the marketing field through mentorships, certifications, and continuous feedback that made me a better professional every day.

I’m so excited to have the opportunity to share my experience with many women in Texas that want to find new opportunities in their career but have some barriers like not too many experiences in their professional field, money to go to college, or even language if English it’s not their first language. I want to tell them that with the apprenticeship programs is a whole professional world waiting for them.

Catherine Corbin
I’m currently a 3rd year electrical apprentice with the IBEW 520. I love this field because it gives me the ability to work hands on while still having to plan/strategize. I’d have to say the best part is that your job is hardly ever the same because there are so many aspects to the trade to learn. It’s hard to get bored and presents new challenges everyday. I think most women don’t realize this career path is one available to them because it’s always been traditionally a man’s job. I’d like to share my experiences with other women so that maybe they can find the same passion and challenge in it that I do.

Tiffany Rodriguez
I am from Houston, TX and am currently a receptionist going to school. I am an apprentice with the Electrical and Safety of Texas Association. It’s exciting to wire and see the lights come on while working in the field. I’m looking forward to getting to know other women in my same field talking about how women are so underrated in this field!

Rosa Diaz
I, Rosa Diaz, was fortunate to be part of the Bombardier Aviation Apprenticeship Program at the Texas State Technical College in September of 2020. As of March 2021, I was honored to be part of the Bombardier family in Red Oak, Texas as a Mechanical Structural Assembler. Though this career path is new in many ways in my life and very nerve racking at most. I am most excited to have the opportunity in expanding my abilities. In addition to being part of the Young Invincibles Texas Apprenticeship Youth Council I will be able to encourage women to reach their goals.

Amantha Hons
I currently work as the digital project manager for Roger Christian & Co, an Advertising agency in San Antonio, Texas. The most fulfilling part of my role is developing processes that make the agency more efficient and enabling my teammates to focus on creating their best work. I began my career at RCCO as a social media manager while completing a digital marketing apprenticeship program through NEW Apprenticeship. I’m always excited to share my apprenticeship experience and hope it encourages other women to take the same journey. I wholeheartedly believe it is the best way to build a diverse skill set, gain unique, hands-on work experience, and stand out from the crowd, especially in competitive or underrepresented fields, like marketing, tech, or IT.

Maya Dearman
I am currently at Lonestar, a small plant with deer park, putting things together and making it work knowing I made it possible. It interests me to talk to other women because some women may not know that they can do anything they set their minds to.

Jennifer Cobb
My name is Jennifer Cobb, I’m an apprentice electrician from Austin, Texas. I completed my initial pre-apprenticeship at Skillpoint Alliance and I am currently a Third Year Apprentice at FSG. I love working as an electrician as it challenges me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I learn something new everyday. Despite blood, sweat, or tears, I don’t feel like I’m at work. It’s amazing! I encourage all women to do what they fear. Step outside of their comfort zones and push themselves to new limits to inspire the next generation to be more than what others vision for us.

Ana Poenisch
I currently reside in McMullen County, TX on the family homestead. Freelancing, social media managing, homesteading, and motherhood combine to form my career. Currently, I work and handle the Cyrusher social media account with Hacklemedia, help my husband with his farming business and run two social media accounts for Dornak Auto Parts. My digital marketing journey began with New Apprenticeship in 2017 with a year long apprenticeship and has turned out to be a huge blessing. I am passionate about sharing experiences that uplift others. Specifically, that location, age or background shouldn’t be an obstacle to finding a fulfilling career. My decision to embark on a Digital Marketing journey has now given me the freedom to work from anywhere and the flexibility to be present with my family. This has become especially important with an 8 month old baby, a 16 year old teenager, and Lab puppies in the house.

Taylor Pepper
I currently work at Dow Chemical Sabine location as an operator apprentices. Working on my last year of the program. I love my job and the field I work in. Women in our field is a great idea; it brings more opportunities and more ideas to the field. There is never enough brains we can put to the tasks.

Alana Crumrine
I’m originally from Connecticut and have a background in art and East Asian studies. I am currently in Austin, Texas working as an apprentice carpenter with PCI. I am in an apprenticeship program with my local union 1266 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. I’ve always enjoyed making things so I love coming into work every day knowing I get to build something that will get used. I am interested in seeing what other women’s experiences are like in the field and how they got into their current role.