Community Corner
District 228 Celebrates Women's History Month
During Women's History Month, District 228 wants to recognize its 114 female skilled trades students
March is International Women's History Month and Bremen High School District 228 wants to acknowledge and celebrate its 114 female skilled trades students.
During the 2020-2021 school year these students have taken or are currently enrolled in Introduction to Engineering, Applied Engineering, Principles of Engineering, Household Repair, Auto Mechanics, Auto Technology, and/or Building Trades.
One of these students is Destiny Leach-Evans, a Hillcrest High School senior who has been committed to pursuing a career in the trades. Throughout high school, Destiny has taken four courses in the skilled trades. Currently, she participates in Building Trades, a course that offers a variety of construction activities as well as college credit through a dual credit program with South Suburban College.
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Destiny plans on going into architecture or construction after graduation. When asked why she chose the skilled trades as her career path she replied, "I want to be in the trades because not many women want to and I do not want to do something easy. I don't mind getting my hands dirty.”
By the end of this course, Destiny will have received instruction that includes frame construction, masonry, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and basic electrical installation and wiring skills.
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According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), "women working in construction numbered 1.5 percent of the entire U.S. workforce in 2018." Furthermore, this recent New York Times article states that "in the United States, 2.4 percent of electricians are women, and 9.5 percent of electrical contracting businesses are owned by women."
In a USA Today article, it was reported that "by 2028, an estimated 3 million jobs will sit open in the skilled trades, positions that come to life as the backbone of American growth."
District 228 applauds its 114 female students who are eager to fill those positions and close the gender-gap in skilled trades careers.
For more information about skilled trades courses and curriculum offered at District 228, please visit the District 228 Career Guide.
