Maria LaShure

My kids are my biggest motivation and the reason for my success. The first time around in my career, it was for myself, but now my success is for my kids. I have two boys, and I want to inspire them by showing that if I'm 4'10" and in my early 40s and I can hang in here, then they can overcome their own struggles too. I want to be their motivation. Some days I come home tired, some days I come home dirty, some days I feel defeated and they see it, but they also see me go back. I want to show them that good times don't last, but bad times don't either. It's all temporary, and when there's a down, it's only a one-way street if you stick with it, and that's what giving your all is gonna provide. My passion for the work and my ability to multitask across different systems also contribute to my success, but ultimately, it's about being a role model for my children.

The best advice I've received is that you're not going to get out what you expect if you're not giving your all. You'll get the best results if that's what you're going to give. You're not going to get what you want if there's not some heart in what you do. A lot of people have told me that I care a lot, and as long as you put in the effort and truly care about what you're doing, that's when you'll see the results you want. When you're in a field like mine, especially as a woman or someone my size entering something new, you have to give 100% and let people know you're giving 100% from when you hit the threshold until you leave. You have to care, reach for each other, and help each other, because you spend 8 hours a day with these people, sometimes more than with your own family.

You have to give your all, take in what you can, and be dedicated. This isn't a part-time deal. It's got to be something you really want to do, and if you really want it, don't forget it on the days it doesn't work out, because there will be days it doesn't. Being in a field like electrical work, especially as a woman, you've got to be dedicated because it's one of these jobs where there are physical and mental challenges, and there are dangers to it. You've got to be all in from the minute you hit the threshold. This is not just a career, it's a lifestyle. Just be all in. If you're going to be there, this is it. This is your lifestyle. Give 100% and let people know you're giving 100%. Care about your work, reach for each other, and help each other.

The opportunities in my field are incredible because of the amount of different things that we cover. You can deal with fire prevention systems, security systems, fiber optics, and it's so impressive what you can gain from putting networks together. It's amazing what you see because it's all up in the ceiling and in the walls and undergeound. As for challenges, the biggest ones are the physical demands of the job. The weather can be very challenging, especially here in New York. Last year I was outside for about a month in January, and it was very challenging. There are days where it's nonstop physically demanding work, and I also had to deal with extreme heat this summer. The mental challenges are one thing, but the physical challenges, whether it's working in extreme cold or heat, can be very tough. For me personally, coming back to work after taking time off to raise my children was a massive challenge. I had to ask myself how I was going to do this physically and whether I would remember what I needed to know, especially since I wasn't coming back as an apprentice.

Family is the most important value to me. My 2 boys are my motivation for everything I do, and I homeschooled them for years, which shows how central they are to my life. I want to inspire them and show them that if I can persevere through challenges, they can too. Caring deeply about my work is another core value. People have told me that I care a lot, and I believe you have to put your heart into what you do to get the best results. Giving 100% and being dedicated is essential, whether it's at work or at home. I also value helping and serving others. Right now I'm working on a building for the Central Association for Blind and Visually Impaired and BOCES programs, and it's inspiring to see how these organizations give people chances at new careers and help them learn to live independently. Teaching and inspiring young apprentices to problem solve and develop their own approaches is also important to me. I want to give them the chance to sponge things up and learn, just like my teacher Dave Waters did for me. Perseverance is key too. I tell my kids that good times don't last, but bad times don't either, and you have to keep going back even on the days you feel defeated.