This book consists of the personal narratives of 14 women who discussed their experiences as construction workers in interviews that were conducted between November 1991 and April 1994. The information provided by the women is organized thematically, beginning with their decision to enter the construction industry. Special attention is paid to the many points at which the individual women's career agendas became "derailed." The following topics are among those discussed: reasons for choosing trade school and the construction industry; pioneering in nontraditional occupations (initial barriers encountered by women and overcoming them; experiences of beginning apprentices; male construction workers' attitudes and behaviors toward women in the trades; gender boundaries on the job; job satisfaction; men who helped women gain a foothold in the industry; and relationships with other women on the job); and settling in (issues of personal privacy on the job; issues of physical strength; "customized treatment: women of color"; career ceilings, career development, and economics; career ceilings, career development, and leadership; expanding opportunities; and empowerment). Concluding the book are brief synopses of the activities of each woman since she was interviewed and a list of the women's names and the dates of their interviews. (MN)