Local Philadelphia-area girls entering 7th through 12th grade will attend a free construction camp this summer to provide real-world experience, mentorship, and education about the opportunities that exist in the construction industry, regardless of gender. The camp is called MyWIC, which stands for Mentoring young Women In Construction and will take place in Philadelphia between Thursday, July 6 through Friday, Aug. 11.
MyWIC is run by the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation, which partnered with companies like NEST, a leading national facilities management company, and Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern Jersey to make it a reality. The camp strives to create a sustainable labor pool in the construction industry while exposing young women to careers that they may not have previously considered. The Philadelphia Youth Network Work Ready also provides funding to cover a portion of the cost.
“MyWIC is developing America’s next generation of female leaders by teaching them about the construction and skilled trades industry,” said Mary Gaffney, NAWIC Phila. Foundation President. “Females make up only about 10% of the construction industry, and there are incredible opportunities to build a career in the skilled trades. By the end of the camp, we see a tangible increase in the girls’ self-confidence, self-esteem, and overall self-image.”
“The construction industry and the skilled trades offer so many opportunities for future careers that are in high demand, not only in Philadelphia but across the country,” said Rob Almond, CEO of NEST, which is based in South Jersey. “The MyWIC camp is a summer-long tradition that shows the girls the incredible career opportunities in our industries. The girls learn that construction is so much more than swinging a hammer.”
The construction camp will take place at several trade locations throughout the Philadelphia area during July and August. Each day, the girls will learn about a specialty within the trades, including carpentry, sheet metal, safety training, electricians, finishing trades, steamfitters, plumbers, and retail construction. Dates of the construction camp include July 6 / 7 / 11 / 12 / 18 / 20 / 25 / 26 / 27 and August 1 / 2 / 3 / 8 / 10.
The attendees of the camp are coordinated by Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern Jersey.
About Mentoring Young Women In Construction
Mentoring young Women In Construction (MyWIC) is a free, construction industry, day camp for 7th through 12th-grade girls in the Philadelphia region. MyWIC is organized and run by the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, and sponsored by various organizations throughout the Philadelphia region.
About National Association of Women in Construction
With more than 115 chapters across the country, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) offers its members education, support, and networking to help advance women’s careers in construction, build their technical skills, and become leaders. NAWIC’s core purpose is to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry from tradeswomen to business owners. The Philadelphia Chapter of NAWIC and the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation are volunteer organizations.
About Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey
Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey has been serving girls and young women in the Greater Philadelphia region since 1961, originally as Teen Aid. In collaboration with schools, community partners, the juvenile justice system, shelters, corporations, and approximately 300 volunteers, we provide programs for thousands of girls and young women in the Philadelphia region’s most under-resourced communities each year. Our holistic approach recognizes that empowering girls to be successful, independent women requires that they have the tools to make healthy decisions about their bodies, receive academic enrichment, are exposed to mentors who work in a broad range of careers, have strategies to deal with bullying and violence, and parents/caregivers engaged in their success.
About NEST
NEST is the pioneer of the Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) industry in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1994, NEST delivers day-to-day tactical management of facilities, financial consulting, analytics, project management, and construction for major multi-site brands across North America. NEST provides 360° support 24 hours a day through one comprehensive facilities management solution that drives cost savings while maintaining an exceptional customer experience. To learn more about NEST, visit enterNEST.com or follow NEST on LinkedIn.