(NEW YORK CITY) - Carter Myers-Brown at The Chief reports when Samantha Martin entered the Construction Industry at the age of 21, she was stepping into a world where Women were still a rarity on most job sites. The path from Apprentice Carpenter to Union Leader would require long days, physical labor and the confidence to prove she belonged in a field where many Workers had never seen a Woman do the job. Twelve years later, Martin now serves as a Council Representative for the New York City District Council of Carpenters, helping organize Workers and advocate for their rights across the City. But her career began the same way as thousands of other Carpenters: Arriving early on construction sites, learning the craft and finding her place in an industry still learning how to make space for Women. When Martin joined Local 45, she completed a four-year Apprenticeship Program that trained her in framing and drywall installation. Much of the work involved building the interior skeletons of rooms - measuring, installing studs and preparing walls for drywall. As her skills developed, she moved into more specialized work, including quality control. Construction work, she said, often involves a mix of physical labor and problem-solving. Different Trades - Electricians, Plumbers, Carpenters - must coordinate closely, and small miscalculations can create challenges for everyone else on the job. “Nothing better than an Electrician installing something exactly where the door has to go,” she said with a laugh. 

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