Maggie Rogosienski was in her mid-30s when she started an electrical apprenticeship. “I was looking for a career that offered stability, good earning potential and room to keep growing,” she said. “Electrical checked those boxes, but I don’t think I understood at the time just how many directions this career could take me.”

We caught up with her to hear what she’s learned from the industry—and share what we think the industry could learn from her.

What do you wish people asked more about being an electrician?

I wish more people asked where an electrical career can lead rather than only asking how much electricians make. There are paths into estimating, project management, safety, inspection, engineering-related roles, training, supervision, business ownership and many specialized areas of the industry.

What challenges have you experienced as an electrician or as a woman in the industry?

Coming into the trade without a mechanical background was probably one of my biggest personal challenges. I had to become comfortable being bad at things for a while, asking questions and learning from people who had been around tools and construction much longer than I had. 

Being a woman can make you more visible and, sometimes, that means feeling like your mistakes are more visible too. I’ve learned not to put the pressure on myself to represent every woman in the trades. I’m an electrician who is still learning like everyone else.

Do you hear from women who were encouraged to go into electrical work because of your platform?

Yes, and those messages probably mean the most to me. Sometimes people just need to see someone they can relate to doing the job before they can picture themselves doing it, too. I don’t want my platform to make the trade look easy or make it seem like I have everything figured out. I’d rather show that you can be competent, still ask questions, make mistakes, learn from people around you and continue building a really good career.

What do you love that’s not industry-­oriented?

My family is a huge part of my life, and I’m a big believer that your career should support a life you actually enjoy outside of work. I love being active, traveling, hiking and getting outside whenever I can. I love what I do, but being an electrician isn’t my entire identity—and I actually think having a life outside the trade makes me better at what I do inside it.