Monumental Sept. 19–21 event at McCormick Place West celebrates women leading the skilled trades across North America
CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – This weekend, 6,000 tradeswomen alongside top labor, government, and industry leaders from across North America, will gather at Chicago’s McCormick Place West, Sept. 19–21, for the 15th Annual Tradeswomen Build Nations (TWBN) Conference, the largest global event of its kind.
Hosted by TradesFutures in partnership with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), TWBN has become the largest annual gathering of unionized craft professionals in the world. The three-day conference celebrates and advances the growing movement of tradeswomen from across the United States and Canada. TWBN directly supports TradesFutures’ mission to expand nontraditional pathways into the skilled trades, opening doors for more women and individuals from all backgrounds to access and thrive in life-changing, family-sustaining careers.
This year’s theme, “She’s not waiting. She’s leading.”, reflects the bold leadership, resilience, and rising momentum of tradeswomen shaping the construction workforce as driving forces in the labor movement, on job sites, and in their communities. The conference will feature plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, dynamic panels, a banner parade, and high-impact networking opportunities designed to empower tradeswomen, elevate their impact, and advance the recruitment, retention, and leadership of women in the skilled trades.
“ Tradeswomen Build Nations is more than a conference; it’s a movement reshaping our entire industry,” said Sean McGarvey, Board Chairman of TradesFutures and President of NABTU. “Every year, the conference and its energy grow, and the experience is an unforgettable and inspiring sight to behold. This year’s theme, ‘She’s not waiting. She’s leading.’, reflects the reality we see on every job site. Tradeswomen aren’t waiting; they are leading this industry every day with skill, vision, and solidarity, and they are strengthening our unions, our workforce, and our communities every step of the way.”
“At TradesFutures, we’re seeing firsthand how women in our network of more than 270 Apprenticeship Readiness Programs and beyond are breaking barriers and transforming the skilled trades,” said Marina Zhavoronkova, Executive Director of TradesFutures. “TWBN is a vital platform to showcase that progress, celebrate tradeswomen’s achievements, strengthen the training pipeline, and inspire the next generation to see themselves in these careers and not only be prepared for tomorrow, but empowered to lead in construction today.”
TWBN 2025 will also highlight the continued expansion of the Infrastructure Generation, the historic labor force surge made possible by groundbreaking federal investments in infrastructure, clean energy, and domestic manufacturing. The conference will reaffirm our collective commitment to building an inclusive workforce, advancing equity, and protecting the gains of working people.
In the spirit of solidarity and service, this year’s TWBN conference will also support Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC), a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to ending domestic violence. Donations made during the conference will go directly to CAWC’s critical programs and services, helping empower survivors and promote safe, healthy communities.
Conference Schedule:
- Friday, September 19:
- 5:30 – 7:00 PM | Opening ReceptionÂ
- Saturday, September 20:
- 8:00 – 10:30 AM | Morning Plenary Session featuring NABTU President Sean McGarvey; AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler; Catherine Hunt Ryan, Bechtel President of Manufacturing & Technology; Frank Christensen, General President of IUEC; Vicki O’Leary, Ironworkers International Director of Diversity and Chair of NABTU’s Tradeswomen Committee; and numerous testimonies from tradeswomen across North America
- 10:30 AM – 12:30 AM | Tradeswomen Banner ParadeÂ
- 1:15 PM – 2:45 PM | Afternoon Breakout Sessions
- Sunday, September 21:
- 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM | Morning Plenary Session featuring Illinois Governor JB Pritzker; Phyllis Wilson, President of the National Military Women’s Memorial; Marina Zhavoronkova, Executive Director of TradesFutures; Boilermaker Cheyenne Gregory from TVA; and numerous testimonies from tradeswomen across North America
- 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Final Breakout Sessions
Credentialed press are permitted to attend TWBN plenary sessions and the banner parade only. Media representatives wishing to attend must RSVP to twbn@tradesfutures.org to request media credentials.
What: Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference, “She’s not waiting. She’s leading.”
Who:Â 6,000 unionized tradeswomen, industry stakeholders, top U.S. and Canadian labor and government leaders, and advocates.
When: Friday, September 19 – Sunday, September 21, 2025
Where:Â McCormick Place West, 2317 S Indiana Ave, Chicago, IL 60616Â
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SOURCE TradesFutures
