Ashley Rosenkranz didn’t follow a traditional path into the trades. Before joining Extreme Electrical Contractors, LLC in St. Peters, MO, she spent a decade in retail — always looking for something more. What she found was a calling.
“I wanted to be in a trade, working with my hands and really being pushed to grow,” Ashley recalls. “I wasn’t sure which direction to go at first. Electrical work actually made me a little nervous — which felt like a good sign.”
That leap of faith led Ashley to reach out to IEC of Greater St. Louis. Within months, she was enrolled in their apprenticeship program and hired by Extreme Electrical. The learning curve was steep.
“I started online courses that January,” she says. “I had no field experience. I’m very much a visual, hands-on learner, so the beginning was a challenge. I didn’t always know what we were talking about in class.”
But things began to click once she stepped onto job sites under the mentorship of seasoned journeyman John A.
“John was a little surprised when a 30-year-old woman showed up ready to work,” Ashley laughs. “But he was patient and quickly realized what I was capable of. That gave me confidence. We became a strong team.”
Within a few short months, Ashley knew she had found her place. Working in residential electrical gave her the sense of purpose she’d been searching for.
“I love interacting with homeowners — hearing their ideas, understanding their needs, and figuring out how to make it all come together,” she explains. “At Extreme, communication is everything — within the team and with the customer. We want people to be genuinely happy with the work we do.”
Recognizing her potential, Extreme Electrical gave Ashley numerous opportunities to grow. As she neared completion of the IEC program, the leadership team expanded her responsibilities.
“They started putting me in situations where I had to step up and work more independently,” she says. “Then they started assigning apprentices to me. Teaching others accelerated my own learning — I had to explain things clearly, and that deepened my own understanding.”
After earning her journeyman license, Ashley continued to thrive. A year and a half later, she was called into the office for a conversation that would once again change the course of her career.
“They asked if I’d ever considered becoming a project manager,” she says. “I had — but I wasn’t expecting that offer so soon. It was a huge compliment.”
Ashley accepted and began her training under veteran project manager Tim. Now, she oversees residential projects from planning to execution, splitting her time between the office and fieldwork — conducting estimates, coordinating schedules, guiding electricians, and staying up to speed on new technologies.
Her talent and drive have not gone unnoticed. In the same year she completed the IEC apprenticeship program, Ashley was honored with the IEC National Rising Star Award, a prestigious recognition given to standout emerging leaders in the industry. For her, it was both an affirmation of her hard work and a signal that she was on the right path.
I love seeing a job come together through everyone’s effort,” she says. “It’s not just about getting it done — it’s about doing it well. When the customer is happy, that’s the reward.”
Outside of work, Ashley finds joy in her family life. She and her wife are raising two young children — a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter.
“They’re our world,” she says with a smile. “They keep us on our toes. They love a good beach day, and now they’re both in soccer and t-ball. The little one can be shy, but if her brother is around, she’s all in. Watching them grow is the best.”
As she reflects on her journey, Ashley expresses deep gratitude for those who helped her along the way — from her mentors at Extreme Electrical to the instructors at IEC of Greater St. Louis. She’s proud of how far she’s come — and she’s not finished yet.
Thinking About Becoming an Electrician?
Ashley says the electrical trade needs more smart, capable people — and especially more women.
“Don’t wait for the perfect time,” she advices. “Just go for it. That’s what I did, and it changed everything.”
Learn more and get started at ieci.org/apprenticeship.
