I recently hired a female apprentice about 6 weeks ago. Although I haven't had the time or opportunity to work directly with her myself, I've been asking my journeymen how she's doing and they have told me she's doing fine and enjoy working with her. So far there hasn't been anyone questioning her abilities, and no one has found her to be an "oddity" on the job.
She had applied at a lot of places with no luck. She happened to apply to me at the right time - I needed an apprentice, and I gave her the chance. I also felt that since she's a woman in a "man's trade", she would go the extra mile to prove herself.
I let her know of my concerns when I interviewed her: working with men where the language can be harsh at times, washroom issues (what if there's no porta john availiable?), the ability to carry her weight, etc. I also informed her that there would be no favortism because she was a woman...she would be treated like any other apprentice...crawling around in attics or dig holes for ground plates would be common. She had no problem with that.
So far, so good.
Best wishes for you in pursuing your goals.
