Construction trades event for 8th grade girls
Written by Kenna May, Manager of Apprenticeship, Spokane Community College
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509.533.8098
The Eastern Washington Apprenticeship Coordinators Council and Spokane Community College’s Apprenticeship and Journeyman Training Center, hosted 199 eighth grades girls from around the Inland Northwest to participate in hands-on activities. These activities included welding, conduit bending, chop saw and nail gun operation, painting, concrete, roofing, soldering and heavy equipment operation. The girls also learned electrical safety with the lineman, and experienced painting and equipment operation on simulators. Throughout the event the girls and their chaperones were introduced to the wide array of career opportunities in the construction trades that are available to any talented and competent young woman. These hands-on experiences were led by industry professionals, largely female apprentice and journey level workers.
Pizza, Pop & Power Tools debuted in Spokane in 2003 and since its inception the event has positively exposed over 4,000 young women to the construction industry and engaged them to consider the construction trades as a viable career option. As always, the event was a huge success! At the end of the day, the girls left the event with a new and fashionable Pizza, Pop & Power Tools t-shirt, a tummy full of pizza and pop (or course), and memories of a fun filled day. Event volunteers constantly heard, “I didn’t know I could do that!”
