Miron Construction Co., Inc. welcomed 30 female students to its Neenah headquarters for the ninth annual Build Like a Girl event June 26.
The day-long program aims to showcase opportunities for women in the construction industry and combat the severe lack of women in the field and the skilled trades workforce gap affecting the construction industry.
This free event is open to seventh to 10th grade girls interested in learning about careers in construction. The day includes conversations with women in the industry, a tour of an active project site, and discussions surrounding topics such as typical wages in the industry, apprenticeship opportunities, and safety.
The program also encompasses Miron craftspeople walking participants through multiple hands-on activity stations at a temporary project site – masonry, where they constructed a brick wall; carpentry, where they assembled bird feeders; equipment operation, where they experienced what it’s like to operate heavy machinery, such as a crane and boom lift; virtual construction, where they virtually viewed the project’s plans; and concrete, where they experienced what it’s like to place a large concrete slab.
“Miron understands that diversity drives innovation,” said Dave Walsh, executive vice president of human resources for Miron Construction. “With women comprising just under 11 percent of the construction industry and only 4.3 percent of skilled trade workers, we recognize the critical need to close this gender gap. Our commitment to equitable inclusion extends to all traditionally marginalized groups and Build Like a Girl is one of the intentional steps we are taking to create meaningful, lasting change. Events like this not only help up fill the skilled trades workforce gap with passionate and smart individuals, it also helps increase the gender diversity in our industry and company.”
To learn more, visit mironbuildlikeagirl.com.
