Iris is an Elvis fan and part of a group of unemployed women who, in the scope of the first West German retraining program for women, are being trained in Essen in the "male professions" of electrical and metal work. Monika Held and Gisela Tuchtenhagen accompany the group for five weeks. The women report sexism, low self-esteem and the multiple burdens they must bear. To make any progress, they need support and one another – the regular weekly meeting where they share their experiences is moved to the pub.