The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is marking its 25th annual Women in Construction Week (March 5-11). According to NAWIC, WIC Week focuses on women as vital components of the construction industry. The 2023 theme: ‘Many Paths, One Mission,’ recognizes their diverse pathways toward the same goal.
Current data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows nearly 400,000 open construction roles nationwide; only about 11% of construction workers are women.
To help more women succeed in the industry, the Home Depot Foundation announced a $200,000 investment in trade school scholarships. The foundation said in a press release that its Path to Pro Scholarship for Women would provide $4,000 in financial assistance to women entering or currently enrolled in construction trades programs.
“The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than half of a million dollars in trade school scholarships to extend support beyond our training programs and help bridge the opportunity gap for more students seeking high-earning careers,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation, in a statement. “We’re proud to have trained more than 39,000 trades professionals and awarded nearly 200 trade school scholarships to date, and we’re thrilled to continue that momentum with an intentional focus on women.”
The Home Depot Foundation says it has also pledged to invest $50 million to fill the skilled labor gap in addition to an ongoing mission to diversify the trades industry through its Path to Pro programs available to youth, high school, and trade school students, underserved communities, and separating U.S. military service members.
The foundation has partnered with service organizations to help identify eligible veterans and family members for this scholarship opportunity. In addition, SkillPointe Foundation will partner to administer scholarships.
“Through our partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, we’ve provided skills training scholarships for aspiring construction industry workers from coast to coast,” said Alvin Townley, executive director of The SkillPointe Foundation. “We are honored to help increase the presence of women in the trades industry.”
Click here to apply for The Home Depot Foundation’s Path to Pro Scholarship for Women.
In related news, Home Depot recently announced its latest investment in the future of interconnected experiences – all while introducing a new generation of doers to home improvement and the joy of building.
The Virtual Kids Workshop is a new experience in Roblox’s Redcliff City that challenges gamers to play and learn by collecting materials to build projects.
The workshops are inspired by The Home Depot’s in-person Kids Workshops, which offer the youngest DIYers a hands-on learning experience that sparks creativity, promotes problem-solving, and encourages social interaction.
“We are taking the Kids Workshops experience to a new level in the metaverse, inspiring more future doers by meeting them where they are,” said Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at The Home Depot. “Our Virtual Kids Workshops offer the familiarity of The Home Depot—a weekend trip that many young people already experience with their families—and combines it with the discovery, problem-solving, and fun that Roblox is known for.”
To participate in this experience, players will enter Redcliff City and visit The Home Depot’s new metaverse storefront. They will be greeted by a virtual store associate complete with an orange apron. Players will be offered the choice of three projects to build with varying difficulty levels: a birdhouse (easy), a mini flower garden (medium), and a small car (hard).
Then, players will embark on a scavenger hunt, collecting materials from the virtual aisles. Once all materials are collected, players will assemble their project in the dedicated Kids Workshops space. Finally, gamers can leave the store with their project and use it throughout the Redcliff City experience.
Our special edition issue of NAWIC Today: 25 Years of WIC Week is out now! Learn about the history of WIC Week, hear from our global partners, and more.
Read it now: https://t.co/9sVnj2zYIV#WICWeek23 #ManyPathsOneMission #NAWIC #WomeninConstruction #WomeninTrades pic.twitter.com/4wsi4kr469
— NAWIC (@nawicnational) March 2, 2023
The Home Depot’s debut into the metaverse marks its latest investment in the future of interconnected experiences. Learn how we're partnering with Roblox for virtual kids workshops. https://t.co/sTBNvfB1U5 pic.twitter.com/bkL2M2pFh9
— The Home Depot (@HomeDepot) March 2, 2023
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