On sprawling, 1,500-acre plot outside of Sacramento sits one of the country’s top construction and operator training centers. Tucked in amongst the endless machinery—and a whole lot of dirt—is the California Operating Engineers Journeymen and Apprentice Training Center (OE3 JATC).

What makes it special (besides its stellar reputation for putting out some of the best operators around) is that this apprentice program employs and trains so many women who’ve been empowered to embark on life-changing careers. Through free, hands-on training, they’re making their mark in a field traditionally labeled “men’s work”—and they’re taking names.