Event Recap: "Paving the Way for Women in Construction" Webinar

"Paving the Way for Women in Construction: Creating Systems and Supports that Work," an October 1, 2014 webinar hosted by the United States Department of Labor Women's Bureau, the Institute for Women's Policy Research, the National Women's Law Center, Wider Opportunities for Women, and Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. "explored ways to increase women's participation, retention, and success in the construction industry." The webinar included a discussion of two new reports, the Institute for Women's Policy Research's results from a survey of tradeswomen and the National Women's Law Center's report on challenges and pathways for women to access higher-paying jobs, as well as best practices in recruitment, training, retention, and technical assistance regarding increasing women's representation in the construction workforce.

For more information about this recent webinar, visit www.dol.gov/wb/.

Repost: Become a Union Carpenter [video]

Awesome video just released by the NERCC's Sisters in the Brotherhood to recruit more women to become union carpenters. Pass it along!

Repost: CAWIC Calls on Construction Industry to Promote Women's Advancement

Earlier this year, the Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC) announced its plans to "conduct research and develop an action plan to improve women's advancement into leadership roles within the construction industry" with support from a sizable government grant (CAWIC, 21 February 2014). CAWIC is recruiting employers in Alberta, Ontario and Newfoundland/Labrador to collaborate with as part of its Women's Advancement Project (CNW, 26 August 2014).

Visit http://www.newswire.ca to read CAWIC's most recent press release and www.cawic.ca to learn more about CAWIC.

Repost: Homophobia Hinders Women’s Progress in Building Trades

A recent study conducted by Amy M. Denissen of California State University and Abigail C. Saguy of University of California–Los Angeles illuminates the ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining women in the construction industry by examining the gender discrimination and homophobia many tradeswomen experience on the job. A press release published by Sociologists for Women in Society states:

"Denissen and Saguy explain that when women enter trade work, men often feel threatened. This stems from the building trades being traditionally seen as “men’s work.” The study finds that tradeswomen are sexually objectified and occupationally discriminated against in an attempt to neutralize the threat tradeswomen pose to men’s right of privileged access to these lucrative careers." (SWS, 17 June 2014)

To read the full press release, visit http://socwomen.org/swspr62014/. To download a copy of the study, visit http://gas.sagepub.com/.

Repost: What’s Next for Women in the Trades?

Great article written by Michael Theriault, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, about the need to recruit and support more women in the building trades:

"While the old Building Trades pattern of white male exclusion of minorities, then, has been largely – even if not absolutely – superseded by a new, more complex reality, we still appear to exclude women.

We and the City can take many practical steps yet toward enrolling and supporting women in the Trades. We can target pre-apprenticeship programs primarily at women, as does a recent Iron Workers multi-trades welding program. We can insist that existing pre-apprenticeship programs target specific numbers of female apprenticeship candidates, as the Carpenters have done at John O’Connell High School. I have advocated for years for childcare programs with construction hours, which would benefit many men as well. We can ask successful Tradeswomen to serve as recruiters and mentors" (Theriault, 30 May 2014).

Visit http://www.sfbuildingtradescouncil.org/ to read the full article.

Chicago Women in Trades online manual for bringing more women into the trades (2004)

Chicago Women in Trades created this online manual for bringing more women into construction. Their website states:

"The goal of this on-line manual is promote replication of strategies that increase the number of women joining the construction workforce. The site, therefore, contains comprehensive information and material from which organizations can build an entire training program, augment an existing program or simply improve their ability to promote construction careers to women. Under each section, organizations can find overviews of the activities as well as downloadable tools that include implementation guides for staff, lesson plans for instructors, hand-outs for participants and administrative tools such as job descriptions and evaluation forms. 

The highlights of this guide include a customizable “Jill of All Trades”flyer, “You Can Do It, A Woman’s Guide to Building a Construction Career”, a career education video which you can download or view on site, a student aptitude assessment, and a comprehensive training curriculum, all developed with support from the U.S. Department of Labors’ High Growth Job Training Program."

Visit http://www.chicagowomenintrades.org/top/top_home.html to view the manual or learn more.

Canada invests more $ to get more women into construction

Over $200K in funding to get women working announced: Hamilton's YWCA receives funding for project to get more women in construction, manufacturing

By Sola DaSilva, CBC News
Posted: Jan 24, 2014 2:30 PM ET

Last Updated: Jan 24, 2014 2:37 PM ET

The Hamilton YWCA says women are underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated careers like construction and manufacturing — but now it has a hefty government cheque to try and change that.

On Friday, parliamentary secretary for Status of Women Canada Susan Truppe announced the YWCA will receive just over $240,000 for a three-year project that will advance recruitment and retention of women in those industries.

This type of project is even more significant because of the imminent skill shortages facing Canada, says Truppe.

Susan Truppe, parliamentary secretary for Status of Women Canada,
announces funding support for Hamilton YWCA project
to advance the recruitment and retention of women in construction
and manufacturing industries. (Sola DaSilva)

“There is going to be a skill shortage and we think that women have a great opportunity to able to fill those roles and they are certainly talented and skilled enough,” Truppe said. “This is important because of Hamilton being a bit of an industrial city … so Hamilton is an ideal place to do this project. These jobs are out there and are very well-paying and that’s why we want to see more women — so there are better opportunities for women to prosper.”

The funding will go towards outreach, planning and strategies to help women in Hamilton join the trades, says Denise Doyle, the chief executive officer of Hamilton YWCA.

“We already know that we have to look to women, Aboriginals and new immigrants when we think about where our workers are going to come from in the next ten to 15 years. Employers today are investing in strategies in order to be more effective in those recruiting processes,” Doyle said. “We hope that our work over the next three years is going to not only engage with women who want to enter those trades but also engage with the employers and help them bring women into their organizations.”

According to a report released by the Conference Board of Canada in Oct. 2013, many Hamilton employers report skill shortages. A survey of 1,538 Ontario employers (about 4 per cent of which were from Hamilton) showed the highest shortages were in the engineering and infrastructure fields, followed by the energy and utilities industries and the manufacturing and automotive industries.

Recruiting women to these occupations, many of which are high paying, will provide an opportunity for women to leave low paying or minimum wage jobs for unionized employment.

“The one thing that I can assure you of is that this program is going to be run by strong women leaders and the men involved will encourage the young women who are coming up to negotiate more than a living wage and an equal wage,” Doyle said.

To view the full article, visit http://www.cbc.ca/.

Repost: New push to recruit and retain more women in mining

In Australia, a national employers group is making a new push to increase the female participation rate in an industry dominated by men in heavy boots and high visibility safety gear. The Australian Mines and Metals Association hopes to see women's participation in mining, energy, and related construction exceed 25 percent by 2020, from about 15 percent today.

Listen to or read the full new story at http://www.abc.net.au/news.

Career Opportunities to Become a Carpenters Apprentice

Please post this email and share with interested parties.

September 2, 2012

Opportunities to Become a Carpenters Apprentice (click here to visit our website)

New England Carpenters’ Union Apprenticeship Program is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides accepted applicants, the opportunity to learn a trade. Apprentices earn a pro-rated salary while receiving their free training to become Journeyman Carpenter with the New England Regional Council of Carpenters.

Who: Anyone age 17 or older who is a high-school graduate or has a GED. High-school seniors may apply with letters from their schools stating that they are eligible to graduate within three months (high school students should be attending informational sessions in December, January and February if they want to be eligible immediately after graduation).  Women, minorities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

How does someone apply?

·         Prospective applicants must attend an informational session. Informational sessions run approximately one hour.

·         Applications to become an apprentice are distributed at the conclusion of informational sessions.

·         Attendance for the entire informational session is mandatory. Late arrivals will be denied admission to that session.

Scheduled Informational Sessions:

Burlington, VT:
                         Local Union 1996, 5 Gregory Drive, Burlington, VT 05403

·         Saturday September 15, 2012, 8:00 AM

·         Wednesday, January 30, 2013 6:00 PM

Portland, ME: First Wednesday of January, April, July, October at 6:00 PM
                       Local Union 1996, 63 Bishop St, Portland, ME 04103

·         Wed, October 3, 2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, January 2, 2013 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, April 3, 2013 - 6:00 PM

Manchester, NH: Second Wednesday of January, April, July, October at 6:00 PM
                         Local Union 118, 146 Lowell St, Manchester, NH 03104, 2nd floor

·         Wed, October 10, 2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, January 9, 2013 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, April 10, 2013 - 6:00 PM

Boston, MA: First Monday of the month at 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM
                    Boston Carpenters Training Center, 750 Dorchester Avenue, 2nd Floor, Dorchester, MA 02125

·         Mon, 09/10/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM – Date changed Due to Labor Day Holiday

·         Mon, 10/01/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

·         Mon, 11/05/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

·         Mon, 12/03/2012 - 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM

Millbury, MA: Third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM
                      New England Carpenters Training Center, 13 Holman Rd, Millbury, MA 01527

·         Wed, 09/19/2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, 10/17/2012 - 6:00 PM

·         Wed, 11/28/2012 - 6:00 PM – Date changed Due to Thanksgiving Day Holiday

·         Wed, 12/19/2012 - 6:00 PM

Application fees for the carpentry apprenticeship program:

·         Effective August 1, 2012 there is a Non-Refundable Application Processing Fee that must be included with applications for apprenticeship.

·         All Applications must be accompanied by Money Order or Bank Cheque made payable to NECTF in the amount of $65.00.

·         The fee is charged to defray the cost of processing applications. It is due at the time an application is submitted. The fee is non-refundable and, therefore, will not be returned if you later decide you didn't want to apply, your application is disapproved, you do not take the required test(s) or you are not successful on the interview. Also, the fee payment cannot be transferred to another application.

What is a Carpenters’ Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship is a training program where you earn wages while you learn to become a skilled carpenter. Apprenticeship combines classroom studies with on-the-job training supervised by a trade professional. Much like a college education, it takes several years to become fully trained in the trade that you choose. Unlike college, though, as an apprentice you’ll earn while you learn. At first, you’ll make less money than skilled workers; but as you progress, you’ll get regular raises. Once you have mastered the craft, you will receive professional wages.

Who can be a carpenter apprentice?

Any woman or man meeting the minimum requirements!  Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apprentices must be at least 17 years old and in good health. A physical may be required. S/he must pass a drug and alcohol test.

A high school diploma or GED is preferred. However an Applicant may provide proof of satisfactory completion of a pre-job preparatory course in Carpentry of at least six (6) months, such as United Brotherhood of Carpenters Job Corps, or other approved carpentry apprentice preparatory course. Documentable on-the-job training of six (6) months or 1500 hours experience as a carpenter would also qualify an applicant as having met the minimum educational requirements.

What are the rewards of apprenticeship training?

The rewards of apprenticeship training are the good wages and benefits you receive as a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC). There are over half a million UBC members in the United States and Canada. You'll be working under the protection of a union contract for a good contractor. This means you will become eligible to have health insurance, a pension and an annuity. It pays to be the best you can be, a well-trained Union Carpenter.

Equal Opportunity:

The New England Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Funds are committed to equal opportunity for applicants. The recruitment, selection and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, creed, handicap, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, arrest record, conviction record, or membership in the military forces of the United States. The ATF will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship, and we will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 30 and all other applicable laws.

For more information, contact the Apprenticeship Office at:

New England Carpenters Training Fund - Apprenticeship Office 13 Holman Rd, Millbury, MA 01527

Phone: (508) 792-5443 or (617) 782-4314

Sign-up to receive our Apprenticeship e-Newsletter:        www.NECarpentersTraining.org/faq

Find us on Facebook:                                                        www.facebook.org/nectf

Camp shows young women a world of opportunities Read more: The Daily Tribune News - Camp shows young women a world of opportunities

by Matt Shinall

9 days ago | 558 views | 0  | 9  |  | 

SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News Above, Ansley Brinson was the first young woman at the MAGIC Camp to drive the telescopic forklift provided by the Yancey Brothers Caterpillar dealership. Below, Georgia Power engineer Randy Todd helps Starla Parker line up her materials for her welding project.

Stephen Lawlor with the Yancey CAT training department explains the forklifts controls to the students who would later drive the machine and move a pallet around the Cass High School parking lot. SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News

Amanda Brinson, from left, Xandria Southern, Nick Lumpkin with Yancey CAT and Hannah Thomas perform a safety inspection on the forklift before students are allowed to operate it. SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News

Georgia Power engineer Randy Todd helps Starla Parker line up her materials for her welding project. SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News

MAGIC volunteer Euharlee Mayor Kathy Foulk, left, works with student Courtney Rediger in one of Cass High’s welding booths. SKIP BUTLER/The Daily Tribune News

No one pulled rabbits from a hat or sawed an assistant in half at MAGIC Camp last week, but young women from nearly every high school in the county were exposed to new skills and experiences in the diverse field of construction.

Mentoring a Girl in Construction Camp began here in Georgia just a few years ago and has since made its way across much of the nation. During its first week in Bartow County, 16 girls spent five days learning industry safety standards, which were put to the test with hands-on instruction in carpentry, electrical, welding and heavy-equipment operation.

"This is to bring awareness to these young ladies that there are opportunities for them in the construction field," said Georgia Power Project Relocation Coordinator Janet Queen. "We haven't done a real good job of letting them know that they have a place here, too. You know, some of the highest paid jobs in Bartow County are in the construction field. We know the economy is slow right now, but these jobs are coming back and we want to have a workforce that is prepared and ready.

"We need to be training these students so that when the jobs are here, they're there to fill them and they don't have to leave Bartow County to work."

Renee Connor founded the camp five years ago, transformed an idea into a growing nonprofit and has enlisted the help of industry leaders. In Bartow, MAGIC Camp partnered with Georgia Power and the Bartow County Board of Education to operate out of Cass High School.

"We actually started the camps in 2007. We had one camp in Gwinnett County, Ga., and it has grown from one camp to 25 this year all across the U.S. We started with six little girls and now we're actually doing three camps in the state this year," Connor said. "For companies like Georgia Power, it's about workforce development. For schools, it's about getting students interested in taking classes, but for me, it's all about the girls. If I can get one of them an opportunity they had no idea about, that's what it's all about.

"Right now, there is a skilled labor shortage in welding. ... And the girls have no idea the money they could make. A lot of government contracts now are being tailored to minority-owned businesses, which include women-owned businesses, and they have to set aside so much of those contracts to give to those businesses and these girls have no idea -- they will after this week."

Cass High Construction Teacher Jerome Black was on hand during the camp, but each day, a new guest instructor participated in lessons to introduce campers to successful women employed within the construction field.

"We try to use the instructor from the school, but we try to bring in a woman that is certified in that trade area every day to team teach. It's just better to bring in successful women that do it every day," Connor said. "We have a speaker every day this week to talk to the girls from a different area of construction. We had a mechanic come in [Wednesday] from the [Gerdau] steel plant, and she is in the Air Force Reserves and she's closer to their age so they could see younger women in the field."

Connor, a member of the National Association of Women in Construction, owns Precision Tapping, a firm specializing in pressure tapping -- a method of connecting to a pressurized pipe without an interruption of service. Other professionals on hand during the week included Journeyman Carpenter Dottie Myrick, a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

"We're working with these girls trying to give them the basics of what we do as carpenters. We made toolboxes out of plywood the other day. ... And today, we're out there teaching them to weld -- and they're doing a very good job," Myrick said. "It's a pleasure to be a part of [MAGIC Camp]. I was asked to come out and do carpentry on Tuesday and I just had so much fun on Tuesday, I've been back every day since.

"There's nothing these young women can't do. ... For these girls, there's so much that's open to them. They can do anything they want to do, carpentry, welding, engineering, anything. And this is a good way to show them that they can do it and they can learn to do it."

Students attending the camp graduated Friday, taking home projects completed throughout the week. The day they learned carpentry, participants built a toolbox. When learning the basics of electrical wiring, campers built a lamp. In the welding shop, girls made a garden ornament from bolts and washers.

Every high school in the county was represented except Excel. At least two of the students involved, Samantha Meyers and Chelsea Maggard, hail from Cass and will have an opportunity to continue under Black's instruction.

"I think it's a phenomenal program for the young ladies opening their eyes to what is available to them in their future, not keeping them down to what people might think is traditional for a lady," Black said. "Hopefully, it will help me get a few more in my class."

From BBC: Electricians job scheme looking to expand

By Victoria KingBBC News

Continue reading the main story

A scheme training women in social housing to be electricians is looking to expand. But its advocates believe changes in attitude from the government and employers are needed to help initiatives like it to thrive.

A year ago, mother-of-three Nicole Briscoe was job hunting with little optimism. Now she is on her way to becoming a skilled tradeswoman and is planning to set up her own business.

Nicole is one of 11 women taking part in Wired for Success, a training scheme run by the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA). All of them are tenants of housing association L&Q which teamed up with the ECA to get the initiative off the ground.

It's the brainchild of Diane Johnson, the first female ECA president, who is adamant it can - and should - expand, both geographically and to other trades.

"It is a no-brainer," she says. "These people are on benefits - and the minute they're qualified they can come off them."

Round-the-clock

Flexibility is key to Wired for Success.

Nicole's youngest daughter was just five when she signed up, and it was the seemingly impossible task of fitting fulfilling, financially viable work around her child that had until then kept her out of the job market.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The empowerment I feel knowing where I'm going to be at the end is amazing”

Nicole BriscoeWired for Success trainee

This programme, however, allows her to begin work later in the day - after taking her daughter to school - and finish work in time to pick her up.

John Blaus, from Electrical Assessment Services, is actually at the plug-face, so to speak, training the women - and in his words, he's never worked with "a more dynamically committed group of people".

But he stresses just how much support has to be provided to make the scheme work - support given round the clock by one of his colleagues, Jan Emery.

"At 10.30 last night she was dealing with a problem with a lady who just had not got sufficient finance to get to the workplace today," he says.

"Without her I think we would have lost two or three ladies by now due to natural issues and problems they come across."

There's no doubt that such a level of flexibility and support presents a challenge for traditional - often male-dominated - industries, as well as colleges and similar institutions.

They would almost certainly need help themselves to overcome such challenges.

Benefits issues

Another issue Nicole and her fellow trainees have encountered is with the benefits system.

Wired for Success is not recognised by the Job Centre as a training programme, so they are still under pressure to be looking for work in order to qualify for JobSeekers Allowance.

As Diane Johnson puts its: "These girls are actually in training and yet we cannot seem to prove to the benefits agency that they are not sitting at home doing nothing.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

There is far too much money that is being deployed to the commercial benefit of training providers”

Iain MacDonaldElectrical Contractors' Association

"We actually need help on that and any scheme like this would need help."

Even very simple things can present difficulties - Nicole's National Insurance number requires her to sign on at the Job Centre on a Tuesday but that's one of her training days.

"Those little issues may seem small, but they are issues in terms of just being able to get on with your work," she says.

"All that said, I'm on this course and I'm loving it. The empowerment I feel knowing where I'm going to be at the end is amazing."

Labour MP Catherine McKinnell, who is a friend of the scheme, says problems like these, while not inevitable, are "constantly recurring", but she hopes the forthcoming switch to Universal Credit will provide an opportunity to make the benefits system fit better alongside different forms of training.

The government has also launched an independent review of its apprenticeship programmes, so the hope is that this sort of feedback can be fed into that.

'Non-productive outcomes'

There is only ever a going to be a limited pot of funding for schemes like Wired for Success, and while it is expensive, those involved believe it's a considerable improvement on much of what is going on now - and would be better for the taxpayer in the long term.

"What I don't understand is that the government is happy to provide money to put people on courses, then when they finish the course they don't go anywhere," Diane Johnson says.

"They stay on benefits, there is no job at the end.

"If there was some support for this initiative then basically we can guarantee that these people would never go back on benefits again because they can go out and earn a living."

Iain MacDonald, head of education and training at the ECA, goes further.

"As an industry we often see substantial amounts of funding being directed towards non-productive outcomes. I would like to see public money being directed towards what you would term an industry-recognised outcome.

"There is far too much money that is being deployed to the commercial benefit of training providers and not the commercial benefits of the industries the qualifications purport to serve."

Everyone involved in Wired for Success agree that while it might sound counter-intuitive, schemes to tackle unemployment can't just be expected to conjure up jobs.

Instead, the focus has to be on providing people with skills, so if vacancies come up, they're ready - or alternatively, they can set up their own businesses from scratch.

Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18492957

US Department of Labor announces $300,000 grant to Action for Boston Community Development Inc. to support women in nontraditional occupations

WASHINGTON ‒ Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced awards of $1.8 million in grants to consortia in six states through the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations program.  Among the grantees is Action for Boston Community Development Inc. in Boston, Mass., which will receive $300,000.

“Apprenticeship programs are effective pipelines into growing industries. But too often, these programs are not as accessible to women. The federal grants announced today will better connect women with apprenticeships, helping them to gain skills in fields that offer long-term career opportunities,” said Secretary Solis. 

The grants will support innovative projects that improve the recruitment, hiring, training, employment and retention of women in apprenticeships in industries such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and construction. Within these industries, the grants will fund activities focused on three occupational areas: existing occupations expected to experience primarily an increase in employment demand, existing occupations with significant changes to work and worker requirements, and new and emerging green occupations.

The six grantees are community-based organizations, each of which has formed a consortium with a local Workforce Investment Area and at least one Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor. This consortium-based approach is intended to ensure that women served by WANTO grants have access to a range of supportive services and training, as well as to specific nontraditional employment opportunities.

Each grantee will be required to place at least 50 participants annually and at least 100 participants over the life of the two-year grant into a Registered Apprenticeship program. 

The grants are jointly administered by the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau and its Employment and Training Administration’s Office of Apprenticeship. For information about the department’s range of employment and training programs, visit http://www.doleta.gov.

Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Grants

Grantee City    State   Funding Amount 
Action for Boston Community Development Inc.    Boston  Mass.   $300,000       
Chicago Women in Trades Chicago Ill.    $300,000       
Goodwill of North Georgia  Inc. Atlanta Ga.     $300,000       
Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. Portland        Ore.    $300,000       
West Virginia Women Work        Morgantown      W.Va.   $300,000       
Women In Non Traditional Employment Roles       Los Angeles     Calif.  $300,000       
Total   $1,800,000     

# # #

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille or CD from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. 

When Young Women and the World of Construction Meet, It's "MAGIC"

The San Diego Chapter, NECA is getting ready to participate, once again, in the Mentoring A Girl In Construction (MAGIC) Camp hosted by theNational Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). San Diego's fifth annual MAGIC?Camp runs June 20-29 at the Stanley E. Foster Construction Tech Academy.

Thirty-three area high school-aged young women will join forces with countless construction trade association mentors, including our own San Diego Electrical Training Center's ace instructors. Experts in skilled fields, provide hands-on training, allowing the young women to learn basic construction skills in a variety of trades ranging from electrical to carpentry to sheet metal.

The intense summer day-camp experience gives a glimpse of what the construction industry has available for today's women and the many career paths to explore. Participants will have an opportunity to sample the tools of the trades, including building a construction project on the high school campus.

NECA San Diego has long been supportive of women in construction and encourage women to enter into their apprenticeship programs offered by San Diego Electrical Training Center or participate at the university level in the NECA Student Chapter programs.

Past graduates of the MAGIC experience have continued their education at San Diego State University in the J.R. Filanc Construction Engineering and Management Program. MAGIC graduate and SDSU coed Ana Sical joined the NECA National Green Energy Challenge as part of the SDSU-NECA Student Chapter competing against the best and brightest students from major universities nationwide.

"The MAGIC program continues to introduce young women to the many possibilities available to them that will lead to a solid career," said Karen Prescott-Loeffler, San Diego NECA's director of business development and SDSU-NECA Student Chapter representative. "For many of these young ladies, this is a reason to stay in high school and earn that diploma."

Today's construction is a highly skilled field which includes the many career paths in renewable energy. Many would agree, there is no other program quite like MAGIC Camp, where a young woman can experience the future.

Women In NECA (WIN). NECA’s national organization is also supportive of women involved in our industry. Formerly known as the NECA Women's Peer Group, Women in NECA (WIN) was created to provide a collaborative forum for all women affiliated with NECA-member companies, NECA chapters and local NECA-IBEW Labor-Management Cooperation Committees (LMCCs). WIN supports the professional development of women working in the electrical contracting industry through educational and networking events; promotes diversity in the industry; and encourages women to explore careers in electrical contracting. For more information on WIN, please visit www.necanet.org/education/women-in-neca/

Retrieved from: http://www.necanet.org/index.cfm?fa=newsAboutNecaItem&articleID=5333

Women Comprise Only 3 Percent Of Construction Jobs; Local Women Changing The Tide

EOA Staff | June 11, 2012 at 11:18 am

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 75 percent of all registered apprenticeship programs are in the construction industry, but women constitute only 3 percent of all registered and active apprentices in construction occupations.

“We want to not only close that gap, but to offer innovative programs for women to step into unconventional jobs that they feel drawn to,” says Kirkland J. Murray, president and CEO, Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC). “We want to give them the competitive edge in a challenging job market.”

Sixteen enterprising women from diverse backgrounds who recently graduated from an eight-week intensive training program through AAWDC where they received certifications or skills in OSHA 30 Safety, NCCER Core, CPR/First Aid and building green/sustainable construction took it to another level. Armed with new skills and a passion to help others, they launched their own company, Working Women in Construction (WWIC), to assist women in obtaining jobs in non-traditional roles such as construction as well as provide general contractor, safety/safety management and workforce development services.

Their first project will be to give back to the community at the Severna Park Baptist Church on Friday, June 8, 2012, where they will rebuild a handicap ramp that has been in disrepair. Pastor David Brown of the church, which has served the community for more than 50 years, says, “We’re very glad and humbled to have this opportunity. Typically, we’re the ones to be on the giving end. It’s an honor to be receiving this from women who are in the minority [in the construction field].”
AAWDC’s Women in Construction program was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Training was provided by The Association of Building and Contractors, Inc./Chesapeake Shores Chapter, AAWDC and The Maryland Energy Sector Partnership.

For information on Women in Construction and other training programs available through AAWDC, visit aawdc.org. For information on WWIC general contracting services, contact Monica Pineau, 443-995-0763.

The Governor’s Workforce Investment Board, in partnership with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation received a U.S. Department of Labor grant in the amount of $5,793,000 for an energy sector green jobs training initiative. The initiative is designed to lead to increased employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy which cuts across a wide range of industries including construction, manufacturing, power generation, and those that are environmentally related.

Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC) is a 501(c)(3) Corporation charged with providing workforce and training services to Anne Arundel County citizens and businesses. AAWDC operates seven One-Stop Career Centers that offer innovative workforce solutions to businesses and job seekers. Business services include customized recruitment assistance, job postings, business retention, training funds for incumbent workers, and workforce transportation solutions. Job seeker services include job search assistance, career guidance, career development and computer skills workshops, access to our resource center, training assistance, and supportive service referrals.

Retrieved from: http://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2012/06/11/women-comprise-only-3-percent-of-construction-jobs-local-women-changing-the-tide/

America's Labor Leaders to Release Major Study on The Associated Builders and Contractors

WHAT: The Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), joined by the AFL-CIO and LIUNA, will release the findings of a first-ever state-by-state comparative analysis of the Associated Builders and Contractors trade association, better known as ABC, and its affiliate organizations. The findings expose ABC's data manipulation and an aggressive disinformation campaign designed to confuse elected officials, the public and the press into supporting policies that produce fewer jobs, lower wages, and minimal workforce training, which have had a detrimental effect on workers, their communities and the US construction industry as a whole.

The report, written by Dr. Thomas J. Kriger, analyzes ABC from a number of different perspectives, including its origins, its membership and density among contractors in the American construction industry, its finances, its formal apprenticeship and craft training programs (along with its affiliate, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, NCCER), and ABC's more recent electronic, ideological issues advocacy.

The findings of the report, "Driving the Low Road in the Construction Industry: An Analysis of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)," will be released at a teleprint conference call.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT

Women’s career fair revs up girls’ interest in trades

POSTED: Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 01:42 PM PT

BY: Lindsey O'Brien
Tags: Oregon Tradeswomen, students

Some girls covered their ears as a jackhammer emitted loud blasts and sent streams of dust into the air, but Breah Etherly’s eyes lit up during a concrete breaker demonstration on Thursday.

Eighth-grader Ka'Terria Phillips, left, gets a lesson in tying rebar from Kirk Bearden, an ironworker with Local 29, during the 20th annual Women in Trades Career Fair. (Photo by Sam Tenney/DJC)

If you go:

What: Nontraditional career fair connecting girls and female job seekers to apprenticeship and job training opportunities in building, construction, mechanical, technical and utility trades.
When: Today, for registered high school girls; Saturday, for the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also on Saturday, at 1:30 p.m., Oregon Tradeswomen Inc. will present an information session about its free seven-week pre-apprenticeship class for women.
Where: NECA/IBEW Electrical Training Center, 16021 N.E. Airport Way in Portland
Cost: Free.

“It’s nice to say you tried something new,” said Etherly, an eighth-grader at Harvey Scott School. “Working with different tools is good exposure for girls.”

The jackhammer workshop, led by women from the Oregon and Southern Idaho Laborers and Employers Training Trust, was among dozens of events taking place during the 20th annual Women in Trades Career Fair at the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center in Northeast Portland.

Nearly 600 girls from 21 middle schools revved up power tools, climbed electrical poles, built birdhouses and learned about careers in the trades to kick off this year’s event.

“Our efforts over the years have meant that Oregon has two times the number of women in trades compared to other states that don’t have similar efforts,” saidConnie Ashbrook, executive director ofOregon Tradeswomen Inc., which started the fair in 1993.

Although many of the middle school students at the fair said they aren’t planning on pursuing careers in the trades, one of OTI’s goals is simply to expose more young women to the construction industry.

“Most of the girls have never used a power tool before and are afraid of the noise at first,” said Aida Aranda, an apprentice coordinator for the training trust. “But once they get out here, it encourages them to open their eyes.”

Zakeiba Ofusu, left, and Zharia Hale, both eighth-graders at the SEI Academy, learn to repair a broken water main at a station sponsored by the Portland Water Bureau. (Photo by Sam Tenney/DJC)

She added that middle school girls are becoming increasingly receptive to careers in the trades, especially as the industry ramps up its outreach through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

On the other side of the fair, roofers from Local 49 set up a table to demonstrate some of the materials and processes they use to build green roofing systems, which many of the students from H.B. Lee Middle School didn’t even know existed.

“These roofs actually help the environment and make things better for people,” seventh-grader Karly Emmett said.

The middle school girls built flowerpots using adhesives, primers and single-ply sheets that roofers use on the job.

Tationia Thompson, left, learns to connect structural beams under supervision from Kat Lakey, an ironworker with Local 29. (Photo by Sam Tenney/DJC)

The goal Thursday was mainly to demonstrate that “girls can do anything,” said Heidi Kameroff, a roofing apprentice who is directing the Local 49 workshop this year. But today, she added, the event will host hundreds of high school girls, who are more focused on career possibilities.

“We figure the middle school girls are just exploring at this point, so it’s good to give them a taste of what we do,” Kameroff said. “The high school girls will actually do some heat welding – it’s going to be really cool.”

A few high school students are ahead of the game, however. Juniors and seniors from ACE Academy led a workshop on Thursday, helping younger girls build wooden puzzles.

ACE, a shared-time program for juniors and seniors interested in entering the building industries, is seeing more interest from girls. The school’s director, Mike Bryant, said the growth is a direct result of events like the Women in Trades Career Fair.

“Our population of female students has doubled this year,” he said. “Why? These events are having an impact; they’re changing the construction industry.”

Retrieved from: http://djcoregon.com/news/2012/05/17/womens-career-fair-revs-up-girls-interest-in-trades/