With a growing need for construction workers nationwide and a major gender disparity in the industry, the Sheet Metal Workers’ Training Center of Local Union 19 in South Philadelphia is holding camps aimed at exposing girls to the trades, writes Ariana Perez-Castells for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

This is the 15th year of the girls’ camp, which hosts students entering seventh through twelfth grades. This year, the camp is adding another cohort based out of Northeast Philadelphia.

“Last year we thought we were missing a lot of girls,” said Mary Gaffney, president of NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation, which runs the camp. “A lot of the trades are in Northeast Philadelphia, and we just thought we were missing them — and we were.”

During the camp, over 90 girls will learn about the trades of electricians, carpenters, and more. That more than doubles last year’s class of 38 girls.

While women represent just a small percentage of the trade workforce, the number has slowly grown, from 2.8 percent in 2003 to 4.3 percent in 2023.

“What we’re looking for is girls to get more in the trades because they’re lacking in the trades,” said Gaffney.

The free camp allows the girls to visit trade training centers, local union, and job sites to gain insight and learn skills.

Read more about the camp in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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