MENASHA, Wis. (WFRV) – Over 30 girls in 7th through 10th grade got their hands dirty at the 9th annual Build Like a Girl event hosted by Miron Construction.
During the event, the participants rotated through stations, learning different aspects of the construction industry. They had the opportunity to operate heavy machinery and even build a bird house they were able to bring home.
St. Paul Elder Services hosts community brat fry in support of Alzheimer’s Association
One of the participants, Reagan Edwards, said she was able to try things for the first time.
“There were a lot of new things I had never seen before,” Edwards said. “I was just doing masonry before, and that was fun.”
These hands-on projects were aimed at teaching young girls about an industry with a major gender gap. According to organizers, 11% of workers in construction are women, and only 3% in specialty trades.
Having a place where the next generation of girls can safely explore this industry might raise that percentage.
“For us, Build Like a Girl is that safe space where girls get to learn how to do these things in a place where they feel comfortable and empowered, with the hope that they leave with some interest in this trade,” Vice President of Human Resources Dave Walsh said.
As the day continued, it was clear that trying new things eased any initial nerves the girls had.
“At first I was kind of nervous because I didn’t know how to do it, but when they taught me, I was feeling confident and ready to do it,” Mackenzie Lehrer, one of the attendees, said.
Ripon Boys and Girls Club hosts ribbon-cutting for grand opening
Miron Construction designed the event to combat the gender gap in the industry, as part of their belief that a more diverse environment provides more innovative results.
Click here to learn about Miron Construction’s Build Like a Girl mission.
