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Women In Trades Skills Fair

A career fair that emphasizes new skills for women and girls

“Girls can do just about anything we put our minds to.” This comment from a local middle school girl after last years’ Women in Trades Skills Fair, attended by 451 girls from area middle and high schools and 125 women. This year’s event, held at RCC’s Table Rock Campus in White City--the only college campus in the state dedicated to technical trades--will be even bigger and better. We are not trying to turn every 03/03/2006an, but to give them a chance to see what is involved in these trades. Too few women and girls consider good-paying trades jobs as employment option. Their options for employment will increase once they see that they can be successful in the skills that make up tradeswork.

On Friday, March 10th, from 9:00am until 5:00pm thirteen RCC programs, union and non-union training and apprenticeship programs, local contractors and utilities, and government and non-profit agencies offering employment or training will help participants practice skills they may have thought to try before this. Middle and high school girls are coming from most of the area schools in Josephine and Jackson County. The public is invited from noon until 5:00pm.

Each of 46 exhibits will include a hands-on activity for the girls and women to try. Activities include climbing poles and ladders, riding in a boom truck, surveying, conduit bending, meter reading, building a flag pole base, reading a tape measure, plumbing and leveling, cutting and soldering pipe, fire sprinkler demonstration, lifting fingerprints, drilling holes, setting tile, lifting techniques, heavy equipment to climb on, cable spicing, phone jack installation, using protective equipment, squaring up a building, pull starting an engine, tightening nuts and bolts, using screwdrivers, nailing contests, using math in construction, welding, decorative concrete, laser level, making mosaics with tile, painting, driving a forklift, karate, fire safety, EMT training, robots, using electronics, manufacturing, building a toolbox, using a cordless drill/screw gun, and filling and pushing a wheelbarrow.

To help participants visualize themselves as tradeswomen, each girl and woman will have a chance to get her picture taken dressed up as a tradeswoman and we will once again highlight the “10 Things Girls Need to Know.” Some of us may have missed learning these small but important skills as we were growing up. There will also be films and videos showing women on the job. This is a chance to find out that we really can do whatever we put our minds to.

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Last updated: 03/03/2006