Breaking the Mold: Ali Williams on Visibility and Respect in the Trades

Vintage Blacktop Co. exists to honor the people who build. Our founder, Ali Williams, came to the trades as an outsider and felt the pull right away.  It was the pride, the grit, and the stories that rarely get told..

“I didn’t grow up in the trades,” Ali says. “But once I got in, I saw how much heart lives in this work and how little recognition it gets. That lit something in me.”

Ali leads business development at Elite Paving and drives Vintage Blacktop Co. with a simple aim. Make the work and the workers visible.

Debunking the trade school stereotype

There is a stale idea that people end up in the trades because they have no other choice. Ali rejects that.

“That mindset couldn’t be further from the truth. The people I know in this industry are some of the smartest, most driven, most resourceful humans out there. They didn’t fall into this. They chose it.”

The numbers point the same way. Skilled trades are projected to add hundreds of thousands of jobs in the next few years. Many roles start at pay that rivals office work and do not carry heavy student debt. Reports show electricians, heavy equipment operators, and pipefitters often earn 60,000 dollars or more a year. About 95 percent of apprentices move into full time work after training.

From roads to representation

Ali does more than help pave roads. She highlights the people doing the work. The women in reflective vests. Parents teaching the next generation. Young workers laying a foundation for a family’s future.

“The trades deserve more than a quiet thank you. They deserve a spotlight.”

Space for women, from the ground up

Women make up about 14 percent of the construction workforce, and the share is smaller in hands on roles. Ali does not see that as a reason to step back.

“If you’ve ever felt like this industry wasn’t meant for you, especially if you’re a woman or starting from scratch, let me be the one to tell you. There’s space here. You belong here. And we’re just getting started.”

Know someone in the trades with a story worth telling? Reach out to Vintage Blacktop Co. so we can help share it. One yard at a time. One beam at a time. One job at a time.