Susanne Haus, President of the Chamber of Crafts and Trades of Frankfurt/Main (Photo: © Chamber of Crafts and Trades of Frankfurt-Rhein-Main)
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women in crafts - Theme specials
May 2023
Only one in five skilled trades businesses is headed by a woman, and the proportion of women in the organization is even lower. We discuss the reasons with Susanne Haus, President of the Frankfurt Chamber of Crafts and Trades, and Anja Obermann, General Manager of the Rheinhessen Chamber of Crafts and Trades.
DHB: When you attend events organized by trade organizations, you can count the number of women on one hand. Don't you feel lonely?
House: Since I've always been one of the few women in the painting profession, a male-dominated trade, since my apprenticeship, I'm used to it. At least the issue of female representation is becoming more of a focus. What also strikes me, however, is the age structure. There's simply a lack of young people willing to get involved.
Obermann: There are two female managing directors and three female presidents at 53 chambers of skilled trades. That says a lot – and applies to all other organizations as well. Men are much more likely to push for the executive suite.
DHB: Are women failing in the face of the phalanx of “old white men”?
House: There are no specific reasons. Crafts are male-dominated in many sectors, so a high proportion of men automatically develops on committees. One approach would be to go beyond the typically female skilled trades—such as beauticians, confectioners, opticians, goldsmiths, and, more recently, undertakers—and encourage women as a chamber. This applies equally to volunteer work, but the general aim is to reach out to more young people. But for women in particular, we face a structural problem. Women generally have many other obligations beyond their careers, which leave them little time for volunteer work.
Obermann: In addition, men often approach tasks with a different level of self-confidence. The "I can do this!" attitude is more readily apparent to them than to women. You usually have to address them directly to win them over. But that also involves removing structural barriers. Many women have a double burden: the company AND the home. Especially if they are younger and have children. Despite many examples to the contrary, this is almost always still in their hands. Volunteering would be a third challenge, which you first have to be able to reconcile.
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Craft policy
Craft policy
DHB: What specific structural changes need to be made?
Obermann: If you look at the general conditions that we, as a skilled trades organization, cannot initially influence, then there is, for example, the childcare situation. It is a disaster in our region – and this can be applied to other regions as well. It's impossible to find a place for children under or over three years old – and the same problem starts again in elementary school. If kindergarten or school is canceled, mothers are the primary contact. There is a lack of full-day care.
House: Fundamentally, men could also feel responsible for other things than they actually are. Unfortunately, the classic model often still sees the man as the boss, while the female entrepreneur sits at a desk and manages everything—even though she's actually also independent on equal footing. This is somewhat more deeply rooted in the skilled trades than in other sectors, and it will probably take longer for that to change. Incidentally, the childcare situation doesn't change once the children leave home. Then it's often the parents who need additional care. Senior care also often falls to women.
DHB: Do women need to hit the table more?
House: Too often, women are still automatically assigned tasks or take them on themselves, instead of setting clear boundaries. Women need to put aside their guilty conscience when they no longer perform tasks. In reality, women find it difficult to delegate jobs and feel good about it.
Obermann: Many women navigate the tension between work, family, and volunteer work. They want to do everything perfectly in every area. But knowing your own limits is crucial: When it comes to overexerting yourself, women are usually way ahead.
DHB: Is there a lack of role models that could encourage young people to enter the skilled trades and consider a career there?
House: It's certainly a question of role models, but the underlying question is how we attract young talent to the skilled trades. There are special events like "Girl's Day" or "More Women in STEM Professions." But role models only help if they create points of contact and thus demonstrate the breadth of skilled trades. This applies not only to young women, but in general, which also helps counteract the shortage of skilled workers.
Obermann: For example, we've been calling for handicrafts to be reintroduced as a subject in schools for ages. Our calls for this always resonate with politicians because they teach young people basic skills. But unfortunately, no action follows. Even if a young man or woman later becomes a lawyer, the ability to hammer a nail into a wall, because they learned it in handicrafts class, doesn't hurt anyone. But above all, it helps to recognize whether I, as a young person, have an affinity for handicrafts. Role models who have taken this path are extremely helpful in this regard. Women, in particular, need to be shown again and again and told: "Look, it can be done!"
DHB: It sounds like it's just a question of how you approach things.
Obermann: Absolutely! The affinity for skilled trades or scientific professions is not genetic. International comparisons, for example, when we take the STEM sector, prove this. Germany is one of the countries where the proportion of women in these professions is particularly low. If this were a question of genes, it would have to be the same worldwide. Here in Mainz, there is a girls' high school, where the proportion of women taking science subjects is much higher than at co-ed schools. This means it's a matter of encouragement, telling girls, "Yes, you can do it!"
House: This also needs to get into the minds of parents and teachers, especially teachers. When we want to offer career guidance at grammar schools, we still often hear: "We're the wrong place for that; we're a grammar school, after all." Yet the Hessian School Act stipulates – and not only – that both academic and vocational education must be covered in career guidance. But this still doesn't happen at grammar schools. The two forms of education still haven't been put on an equal footing. We've become so far apart now that skilled trades have always functioned in the background, but are completely disconnected from social perception. At least I now have the feeling that things are changing a bit; skilled trades are being recognized a bit more again.
DHB: A study by the Institute for Small and Medium-Sized Business Research (ISME) confirms that women are more successful at starting businesses because they are significantly more risk-averse. What specific characteristics would you mention that are specific to women?
House: Indeed, women are more risk-averse in all areas, not just when it comes to larger investments. They generally start fewer businesses because they are less willing to take risks. This is a matter of social responsibility, which they assume for themselves, their families, and also for their employees.
Obermann: Many women often question whether they can play a leading role and whether they have sufficient expertise. Through a network, women can encourage each other and find role models they can emulate. It's also important to remember that women, in particular, are much more sensitive to external criticism. No matter what you do, there will always be someone who criticizes you. Men often have a different sense of self, and women react very strongly to criticism. The positive impulses provided by a network help here too, encouraging them to keep going and persevere.
DHB: There are strong networks for women in the skilled trades, such as the Women Entrepreneurs in the Skilled Trades.
House: That's true because women place a great deal of value on exchange. It's important for them to hear from others about how they've gone about it in order to optimize their own approach and minimize risk. I founded a women's network in my local chamber and focused on personal contact right from the invitation stage. I contacted women not by email, but by mail with a specially designed invitation – and the response was very positive. The key thing about a women's network is that they can exchange ideas in a safe environment. Now we have another event coming up, which we'll naturally be organizing together with the women entrepreneurs.
Obermann: This also ensures that more women turn to the Women Entrepreneurs Association. In general, it's important to gain an overview of such networks in order to then plan and implement focused activities. Experience has shown that a regional connection is truly important, because very few travel across the country for an event. Time plays a significant role given the many tasks women face. It's crucial that such platforms exist to subsequently consolidate these regional activities.
DHB: Do we need more events?
Obermann: Events at all levels are clearly helpful. But it's also about understanding roles, which can't be changed through events alone. Take Girl's Day or the school internship. I would like to see everyone, boys and girls, exposed to various career paths during their school career. One of these should be skilled trades, so that they can truly gain an understanding of what it's like – regardless of gender-specific role models.
House: We need to start very early, in kindergarten, to teach boys and girls about the many opportunities available. It's also important to de-stigmatize male and female roles. Children shouldn't be fed certain role models from picture books. We're creating a hidden object book in which we package crafts and play with them even for the youngest children. In this way, the diversity of career options must be developed throughout the entire school career to highlight the opportunities, especially in skilled trades.
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