--- title: From cakes to piping, how one UA member found a career in the trades description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Danielle Sunley from UA Local 137 joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/UA%20Local%20137%20Red.png --- 1 min read Season 5, Episode 232 # From cakes to piping, how one UA member found a career in the trades [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) November 21, 2024 [United Association](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/united-association) [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) ![UA Local 137Gray](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/UA%20Local%20137Gray.png?width=400&height=400&name=UA%20Local%20137Gray.png)   Guest Name: --- Danielle Sunley Guest Website: --- [UA Local 137](https://ua137.org/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/local137/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/uapipetrades) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Danielle Sunley, a journeyperson with [United Association Local 137](https://ua137.org/) in Springfield, Ill., joined the podcast to share her journey from aspiring baker to a successful career in the trades. She highlighted some of the opportunities and challenges she faced along the way. Sunley’s path to the trades was not straight. Initially, she pursued a passion for baking, winning a statewide baking competition, which led her to consider a culinary career. However, the high costs of culinary school led her to explore other options. After a brief stint in a Certified Nursing Assistant program, Sunley discovered the Highway Construction Careers Training Program at Lincoln Land Community College. This program introduced her to various union opportunities, ultimately leading her to the Plumbers and Steamfitters at UA Local 137. Joining the trades as a female apprentice posed challenges, especially in a male-dominated field. Danielle was the first female apprentice at her Local in over a decade. Despite these challenges, she received support from her Brothers and Sisters at the Local, which helped her thrive. Over time, Sunley’s perseverance paid off, and she became an instructor for the Local, helping train the next generation of apprentices. Sunley’s involvement in initiatives like Tradeswomen Build Nations has been pivotal in her career. These conferences opened her eyes to the possibilities for women in the trades and inspired her to help establish a Women's Committee at Local 137, Sunley said. By participating in events like the Building Trades Career Days in Springfield, she promotes the trades as a viable career path, particularly to individuals in economically challenged areas. Listen to the full episode to hear more about Danielle Sunley's journey. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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