Raquel López, a 45-year-old Spanish woman, has been working as an electrician for 25 years, but continues to face doubts from clients who question whether she is really the one who will carry out the services. Phrases like "It's better that your husband comes to do the work" or "Are you coming to help your husband?" are examples that the professional still hears, even after more than two decades of experience. Raquel entered the profession at the age of 20, when she decided to attend a Vocational Training course in Electricity, an influence that came from home, since her father also worked in the sector.
Today, Raquel and her husband are self-employed workers and have a company dedicated to electrical installations. However, the electrician says that some clients continue to see her as someone who merely accompanies or helps her husband, also questioning whether she will have enough strength to carry out certain jobs. The professional assures that these comments have never been enough to make her give up, continuing to practice a profession she loves.
The problem is not limited to clients. Raquel mentions that even within her own professional environment, the idea persists that she plays a secondary role, often being referred to as someone who "helps" instead of being recognized as a qualified professional. Data cited by the newspaper El Español shows that, in Spain, approximately 160,000 women worked in construction in 2024, representing approximately 11.4% of the sector's workers.
After 25 years in the trade, Raquel has also started participating in initiatives aimed at bringing girls closer to construction professions, where she shares her testimony and allows students to try tasks related to electricity. The professional states that it was very beautiful to feel that she can be a role model for young people, something she herself did not have when she started in the profession.