TradesWomen Build Nations Conference (TWBN) 


Canceled: 9/1/2021, NABTU's governing board of presidents voted to cancel the TradesWomen Build Nations Conference due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, as well of the storm damage in the area from Hurricane Ida.


October 1-3, 2021
New Orleans

When over 2,000 tradeswomen who work in every craft in the building and construction trades come together, it’s powerful. TradesWomen Build Nations is the largest conference of its type in the world.

Although the percentage of women who work with the tools remains low, TradesWomen Build Nations welcomes women into the trades and offers both new and experienced tradeswomen opportunities for networking, skill building, leadership development and organizing. 

​TWBN grew out of the annual Women Build California conference, sponsored by the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California in 2002.

The IMPACT scholarships allow for 36 ironworker women in good standing (3 from each RAB) the opportunity to be represented at the largest tradeswomen gathering in the world! The three-day conference includes workshops that educate and help in the recruitment and retention of ironworker members across North America.

General President Eric Dean encourages ironworker women to attend the conference and to report back to their local union about the best practices Iron Workers' members have learned during the action packed weekend.  

Please share this information with your local leadership, local sisters, foremen, contractors and owners.  The Iron Workers' look forward to seeing you in New Orleans this fall!