Your best evidence may not be a fancy portfolio
For a union tradesperson, good evidence explains the task and your contribution. Start with training records, trade qualifications and experience verified through the appropriate hall or employer. A hiring manager needs to know whether you merely observed a project, performed an assigned step, or were responsible for diagnosing and verifying the result. Those are three very different claims.
Build three small examples
Choose one straightforward task, one unexpected problem and one quality check. Examples might center on referral to a commercial site, apprentice rotation through contractors, and prevailing-wage job requiring documented classifications. For each, write the situation, what you were authorized to do, which evidence you consulted, and how completion was confirmed. Remove names, serial numbers and sensitive photographs.
Translate shop language into hiring language
Do not make recruiters decode every abbreviation. Instead of saying “helped on jobs,” say whether your work involved collective-bargaining construction jobs or apprenticeship and training-center programs. Explain the tools, conditions and decisions that mattered. If you worked under a mentor, say so. Honest scope of responsibility is far more credible than inflated independence.
Use a skill gap as part of the story
A strong candidate can say, “I can do this under supervision, but I am still developing keeping certifications current and knowing how site jurisdiction and classification affect assigned work.” That answer gives an employer a practical training plan. Pair your examples with a concrete next step toward moving through apprenticeship, classifications and possible steward or foreperson roles. Do not list a certificate as a license if it is not one.
What to bring to an interview
Bring a one-page work summary, a list of equipment or environments you have actually encountered, and references who can speak to your conduct. If sharing images or documents, get permission first. The point is to make it easier for an employer to ask informed follow-up questions, not to overwhelm the interview with 40 photos.