10/11/2024
Empowering the Next Generation of Tradeswomen with ‘Keys to the Future’
Celebrating Women in Construction Week
From encouraging elementary grade level girls to consider a career in trade, to being encouraged by Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, at IES Electrical Women in Construction Week 2024 was one for the books!
During this year’s Women in Construction (WIC) Week, IES celebrates women in trade who’re unlocking possibilities for tradeswomen to come, with ‘Keys to the Future:’ this year’s WIC week theme.
In hopes to establish early positive exposure and provide young girls with an opportunity to acquaint themselves with trade-work, Jill Sydik, Project Manager at Shanahan Mechanical & Electrical (SME), a subsidiary of IES Electrical, visited Raymond Central schools located in Valparaiso and Ceresco, Nebraska.
“I hope that by keeping construction in the minds of kids of all ages, both girls and boys, it helps to take away any misconceptions about being in the trades as being a lesser career,” says Sydik after reading to the kids dressed in her PPE.
Sydik read The House That She Built by Mollie Elkhart and Georgia Cartellano, a book based on a true story of a girl who wanted to build a house solely with women contractors. Books like it disarm negative stereotypes surrounding women in construction and validate both their ability and potential.
“What a week it has been,” says Sydik after reading to 120 elementary schoolers and visiting several different classrooms. “It’s fun seeing the kiddos and their reactions, they enjoyed the book and asked a lot of good questions,” Sydik reflects.
To wrap up Women in Construction week, Sydik, alongside her National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Greater Omaha Chapter co-members, met with Jim Pillen, Governor of the state of Nebraska, to receive a proclamation in honor of WIC week. The proclamation detailed NAWIC’s commitment to fostering community development through educational programs and enriching projects which promote skilled-trade careers, before it concluded with the official proclamation of March 3rd to the 9th, 2024, as Women in Construction Week.
IES Electrical is proud to be emPOWERING the next generation of women in the trade!
