Magazine shows girls the tradeswomen they've never seen

Women make up less than 5% of workers in some skilled trades. Not because they lack ability, but because they've rarely seen someone like themselves doing the work. That visibility gap is what Kate Glantz and Angie Cacace set out to close when they launched Move Over Bob in 2024.

What started as a single print magazine has become something more ambitious: a blueprint for how representation actually shifts culture. In its first year, 20,000 copies reached middle and high schools, community centers, and youth programs across Arizona—all distributed free. Now the magazine is expanding nationally, with subscribers in other states and growing demand from schools and workforce programs.

Why visibility matters more than you'd think

The U.S. is facing a skilled labor shortage, with nearly two million construction jobs expected to go unfilled by 2031. But Move Over Bob didn't approach this as just a workforce problem. "If a girl has never seen a female plumber, or electrician, or welder, or crane operator, how do we expect her to become one?" the team asks on their site. It's a simple question with a profound answer: aspiration follows visibility.

The magazine itself is designed for that. Each issue blends role-model interviews with practical training tips, spreads on tools and technique, and stories from women across different trades and backgrounds. QR codes link readers directly to apprenticeships, scholarships, and local training programs—turning inspiration into a concrete next step. A winter 2026 cover featured three women welders from different backgrounds and styles, all unapologetically themselves. "I am certain thousands of our readers will find something of themselves in these role models," Glantz said of the shoot.

First-year electrical apprentice Solei Donahue, featured in an early issue, put it plainly: "Move Over Bob matters because it's inspiring the next generation of girls to do things they were taught they couldn't do."

The culture shift, not the side note

What sets this apart from typical outreach campaigns is that it's not a "women can do it too" addendum to construction culture. It's a redesign of the story itself, with women leading and men as allies. The magazine exists in the spaces where girls actually spend time—classrooms, libraries, community centers—showing them that belonging in the trades isn't exceptional. It's possible.

Glantz describes the mission clearly: scale nationally while staying rooted in local ecosystems. "We now have subscribers all over the country," she says. "We just need to start meeting them where labor codes and training systems are local." The free distribution model remains central to their equity strategy, ensuring cost isn't a barrier to access.

Where others see a labor gap, Move Over Bob sees a leadership opening. And they're handing young women both the mic and the toolbox to fill it.