By Staff Reports | Community Updates
Phoenix-based media company Move Over Bob has launched the first magazine specifically designed to inspire young women to explore careers in skilled trades.
The publication addresses an industry crisis in which women represent fewer than 5 percent of workers, and nearly 2 million construction jobs are projected to go unfilled by 2031, according to a press release.
Move Over Bob Magazine will reach more than 20,000 girls through partnerships with over 300 schools, nonprofits, workforce programs, and the Arizona Department of Corrections. The name reflects the need to “move over” traditional male-dominated narratives and make room for women in construction.
“We’re not just publishing a magazine; we’re creating culture,” said Kate Glantz, co-founder of Move Over Bob. “Every girl who sees herself in these pages becomes part of rewriting what construction looks like, and who belongs there,” Ms. Glantz said.
The timing is critical: 45 percent of construction workers are over age 45, while 74 percent of high school students report stigma around vocational paths. Meanwhile, Gen Z increasingly seeks stable, hands-on careers as artificial intelligence disrupts traditional white-collar roles.
The 48-page publication—a cross between a teen lifestyle magazine and trades career guide—features real tradeswomen, job site walk-throughs and career guidance. Each issue includes QR codes linking to apprenticeships, scholarships and certifications.
“For too long, women have been underrepresented and underestimated in the trades,” said Ms. Angie Cacace, co-founder of Move Over Bob and a tradeswoman. “We created the magazine we wish we had—something that celebrates the lifestyle, the skills and the sisterhood of blue-collar work,” Ms. Cacace said.
More than 100 distribution partners are involved. Major Arizona school districts include Phoenix Union, Mesa Public Schools, Agua Fria Union High School District, West-MEC and EVIT. Nonprofit partners include Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona, Chicanos Por La Causa, and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry.
“As someone who sees the incredible skill and determination of young women in our JATC training programs every day, I know they don’t need a handout; they need a doorway,” said Debra Margraf, executive director of the Arizona Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). “Move Over Bob is that doorway. It shatters outdated stereotypes and shows them not just a job, but a powerful, respected and fulfilling life in the skilled trades,” Ms. Margraf said.
The magazine’s impact is already resonating with young women in the field.
“Move Over Bob matters because it’s inspiring the next generation of girls to do things they were taught they couldn’t do,” said Ms. Solei Donahue, a first-year electrical apprentice at Corbin’s Electric and one of the girls featured in the inaugural issue’s “The New Faces of Power” apprentice spotlight. “It’s their chance to learn and be part of a whole new world and to inspire many more generations of girls to come,” Ms. Donahue said.
