Katy, Texas (KTRK) – It’s not the career that many young women consider or even know as a possibility. But on Tuesday, the eighth graders from Katy ISD had the opportunity to participate and learn more about the construction industry.
Nearly 1,500 students attended #SheBuildsHouston at the Gerald D. Young Agricultural Science in honor of Rosie the Riveter Day. The Career Exploration event is hosted by Construction Career Collaborative C3.
C3 CEO Angela Robbins Taylor said only 14% of construction workers are women, a figure they are working to improve.
“Jobs have no gender. So no job is just for men. No job is just for women. Every job is available to each of us. What we choose to empower ourselves is what the future will look like for us, right?” said Robbins Taylor.
Nicky Morgan is Executive Vice President of TDIndustries, one of the sponsors and vendors at the event. I got involved as a young adult, who didn’t know building was an option until after college.
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“Construction has historically been a male-dominated industry. We haven’t had women there to help. They are very creative and organized. Bringing in women and helping them understand that there is an opportunity is a big thing because it makes it a stronger industry,” Morgan said.
The young girls visited more than 45 vendors and participated in a hands-on experience using different types of power building tools and equipment. They also had the opportunity to ask questions and listen to women in the industry, like Morgan.
“It was really fun walking around, picking up the little things, and having them talk about how it worked. I thought about being a pilot. But I didn’t think about building. However, after that, that became an option,” said Chloe Saussure, an eighth-grade student. Katie Junior High School. “Women are very capable of doing things that men can do.”
The C3 career exploration event started in 2019, reaching the young girls of Aldine, Alief, and Spring Branch ISD.
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