A powerful narrative about returning to the electrical union after years away, exploring how authentic leadership in male-dominated trades requires prioritizing individual care, mental health, and team cohesion over deadlines alone.
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Staying consistent through change turned my fear into positive energy: pressing on, loving what I do, and continuing to learn built my confidence and leadership.
Maria LaShure · In Her Own Words
In Conversation
Maria LaShure for Wisdom Worth Sharing
Read the transcript
Maria LaShure: I think some advice I would give is, when you're not at work, leave things at work as best you can. Find somebody like a family member or just like one close friend that has maybe not the same job, but responsibility level as you have, and just share your feelings, unload to that person, allow them to do the same, because then you can give them advice. That might help you along, during the time that you're struggling, and, take time for dates, whether it be a coffee date with your kids or your other half, but just take time to do the things, just a little bit of time, whether it be taking a trip to a bookstore or like I said, just getting coffee, but give yourself that break and go easy on yourself. It's easy to have a good run with your job, and then all of a sudden have a hiccup and be hard on yourself and come down on yourself, but really, Just saying I've done this much, I just need to reset, but my advice is to at least have one close friend that can help you along, and Give your family the time that they deserve and that you deserve, and have some laughs, go over memories, and just give yourself a break, or even in that time, take a list of what you have accomplished, when you can clear your mind, but just give your chance to give yourself a chance to come up for air.
Full transcript available
Her Story
About Maria
Maria LaShure is a highly skilled union electrician based in Central New York, with over 20 years of experience in industrial and commercial electrical work. She began her career in 2003 after completing her training at BOCES, where her passion for the trade was ignited by an inspiring teacher, Dave Waters. Maria quickly advanced through her 5-year union apprenticeship with IBEW Local 43, gaining expertise in power distribution, low voltage, and building networks. Throughout her career, she has worked across a wide variety of systems, including security and fire alarm systems, EV charging stations, fiber optics, and industrial motor controls. After topping out in her apprenticeship, Maria temporarily stepped away from the trade to raise her 2 children, homeschooling them and even exploring welding for a period. Three years ago, she returned to the electrical field, rejoining the workforce with determination and resilience. Despite being a smaller woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, Maria has consistently demonstrated her ability to manage complex projects, train apprentices, and handle physically demanding work with precision and confidence. Her versatility and dedication have made her a respected professional among her peers. Today, Maria applies her broad expertise to diverse projects throughout Central New York, including renovations for organizations like the Central Association for Blind and Visually Impaired and BOCES programs. She emphasizes hands-on problem solving, quality workmanship, and perseverance in every project she undertakes. Beyond her technical skills, Maria is passionate about inspiring the next generation of electricians and demonstrating that dedication, adaptability, and hard work can overcome any challenge in the electrical trade.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Maria
01What do you attribute your success to?
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.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
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.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
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.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
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.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
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.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Maria
Vision of Leadership
From breaking barriers to building better teams: A woman's journey to leadership in the electrical trades.
Thriving and Leading in a Male-Dominated Field
I want to talk not only about being a set of hands in a male-dominated field like the electrical union, but about how to thrive and lead within it.
I started in this profession at the age of 19, armed with some previous experience and the excitement of not only entering the workforce but beginning a career at a young age that could support my independence and future. Soon, however, my role needed to change so I could raise a family. I became fully immersed in being a homeschool mom, and stepping away from such an intense career made it difficult to imagine returning.
As my children grew and our financial situation shifted, the dollar no longer stretched the way it once did. Supporting a teenager is a very different reality than raising one young child. I knew it was time to put the work boots back on.
I started small, welding for a company close to home with shorter hours so my family and I could adjust to Mom being back at work. My children continued with their homeschool schedule, and we supported each other through the transition. Eventually, with two boys competing in sports and traveling across the country, financial strain appeared again. That’s when I returned to my local union hall—IBEW Local 43—to rejoin the brotherhood of electrical workers.
There was a lot of anxiety about what work would look like after so many changes in industrial and commercial construction. But many coworkers I had previously worked alongside were there to support me and help me get back into the swing of things. I settled back in quickly, and before long, I started craving growth and setting bigger goals.
I began stepping into the role of substitute foreman and learned how to handle the pressure of leadership and planning ahead. During my time back in the field, I became well-versed in different systems, job sites, and project needs. With each experience, my comfort and confidence continued to grow.
Now I find myself stepping into leadership on a more consistent basis—not only guiding coworkers but running a small crew of journeymen and apprentices.
In the weeks leading up to taking this step, I spent a lot of time thinking about what truly makes leadership effective. There are the standard responsibilities that come with any leadership role, even outside the trades. It’s about understanding the scope of the project, specialized tasks, floor plans, and deadlines. It’s also about delegating work appropriately to each team member.
But the thought that kept coming back to me was something deeper: leadership is about keeping the team moving forward together when deadlines approach and unexpected challenges arise.
Because they always do.
Real leadership is about maintaining positive relationships and reinforcing the importance of every team member’s role and contribution. It’s about making sure needs are being met—because with the pace we work at today, burnout is far too common.
When I was in my twenties, I viewed success as reaching the finish line and checking off goals. Now, in my forties, I see leadership differently. The care you show for the crew—individual care—is the key.
The success of the job depends on the success of the individuals doing the work.
That realization has reshaped how I approach leadership today compared to how I might have approached it in my twenties. Leadership means making sure every member of the crew still feels valued and effective, even when conflicts arise or when the team must shift focus to solve a problem rather than point out shortcomings.
Individual care leads to team success.
It means staying close enough to hear about progress, challenges, and needs—not just pushing toward a deadline. Mental health and safety can be overlooked far too easily in our industry, and probably far too often.
Strong leadership ensures those things are never ignored.
Because when people feel supported, respected, and valued, the entire crew becomes stronger—and the work speaks for itself.
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