The financial piece is usually the second or third item on the list when we hear back from our graduates. The first thing they talk about is that they cannot believe the level of confidence that they have where they are now compared to where they were before. These jobs are not rocket science, but building huge projects gives you a sense of confidence that for most women takes a long time to get. You will get there quite quickly in the trades, so confidence is the thing our graduates talk about more first, and lifestyle is the second thing they talk about.
Now lifestyle costs money, but they say, “Well I now have the money to travel. I've always wanted to be a volunteer for Habitat in Ecuador. I've always wanted to do this and that and the other with my time off. I now have the financial capacity to go and do those things.”