37 JULY 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Booth 1607 Camp Helps Girls Explore Construction Trades Adapted from Information by CONEXPO-CON/AGG and letsbuildcamp.com According to the New England Institute of Technology, as of 2020, women only accounted for 10.9% of the entire workforce. Although this represents an increase from 9.9% in 2018, more progress is possible, especially for trades like construction, which is confronting a skilled labor shortage. The Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls is trying to lower the disparity between men and women in the traditionally male-dominated industry. Founded by construction organizations Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), the program is designed for middle- and high-schoolaged girls to explore construction trades, architecture, engineering, and construction manufacturing through hands-on experiences. The weeklong camp based in Pennsylvania, attracts girls from all over the country, and is free to families thanks to support from multiple sponsors. According to the camp’s website, its mission is to “ignite the spark within the girls to explore additional skill training in our local career technical schools, and post-secondary training with a local craft training program, two-year or four-year college path in engineering, architecture, construction management, or any other construction-related major.” “Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls started as a vision to introduce young girls to the construction industry, and the overwhelming industry support and collaboration has allowed us to realize this mission,” said Jon Lattin, the camp’s cofounder. “As we plan our sixth year, we continue to offer technical skills training while indirectly providing life skills training that naturally evolves during the course of camp.” Let’s Build provides an opportunity to explore careers in the construction industry by helping girls experience construction trades through hands-on learning and building. They gain firsthand information by visiting area businesses, and develop greater self-esteem by acquiring skills to solve challenging projects and successfully complete them. “This unique construction camp puts the power into the hands of the campers by giving them the chance to build physical structures in a team environment while also exploring complementary career opportunities through field trips, activities, and interactive discussions,” said Lattin. “The unique nature of Let’s Build organically teaches essential life lessons in leadership and communication while providing confidence in problem solving.” The camp aims to benefit the construction industry through the development of a stronger, more diverse workforce for the future. “Through a partnership with the CSI Foundation and continued collaboration with organizations like ABC, we are looking to expand the reach of Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls beyond the Lehigh Valley region,” said Lattin. C&G
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