Women apprentices more than doubled in the US from 1978 to 1989, from 8,997 to 18,184:

  WOMEN IN APPRENTICESHIPS, END OF PERIOD
                  FY'S 1978, 1983, 1988, and 1st Qtr. FY 1989
 
                Number         Percent of Total
                           -------------------------------
                 1989      18,184              7.0
                 1988      17,239              6.8
                 1983      16,710              6.6
                 1978      8,997               3.1

But between 1983 and 1988, in Precision, Production, Craft and Repair, and Operators. Fabricators and Labourers (sic), they increased only a minute modicum, .6% and 1.1% respectively:

PERSONS EMPLOYED IN THE TRADES, BY SEX
                     1983 AND 1988
                (NUMBERS IN THOUSANDS)
 
                           Precision         Operators,
                           Production,       Fabricators,
                           Craft and Repair  Laborers
1988                       -----------------------------
----
Total persons employed     13,664            17,814
Total women employed       1,190             4,580
Women as percent of total  8.7               25.7
 
1983
----
Total persons employed     12,328            16,091
Total women employed       1,000             4,282
Women as percent of total  8.1               26.6