“All Girls Build!” - Regional Apprenticeship Pathways Event
On January 30, 2020, the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Center, in partnership with Northwest Carpenters Institute of Washington, Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC, LiUNA! (Laborers), The Tulalip Tribes TERO Vocational Training Center and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers hosted an “All Girls Build”.
The RAP Center provides a unique construction and architecture Career and Technical Education (CTE) program with strong trades partnerships. The Center is located on the campus of Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville, WA and is part of the Marysville School District No. 25 in a unique partnership with local trades and surrounding school districts. Students in the program work alongside trades partners to hone skills in all phases of construction and architecture preparing them for preferred entry into apprenticeship programs upon graduation from high school.
The “All Girls Build” was a special field trip event for Snohomish County high school girls, designed to increase female interest in the trades as potential career pathways. “Sometimes ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’, and getting hands-on experience is the best way to learn if you are interested in pursuing something,” says Anne Carnell, RAP Center Director. “In this case, the question is, ‘do you want to earn your required high school credits and even some college credits, in a hands-on way?’ The trades partner support at every table group set participants up for success and I was amazed at the level of engagement from the students” she added.
The RAP shop was abuzz as 14 tradeswomen supported and worked alongside 32 female students from Marysville Pilchuck High School, Marysville Getchell High School, Legacy High School, Granite Falls High School, and Homeschooled High School students. Each student completed two individual projects; hammering and gluing them into existence. The first project made from pre-cut wooden pieces donated by Northwest Carpenters Institute of Washington was constructed into a toolbox to be highlighted at the upcoming EmPower Women’s Leadership Conference, March 8 and 9, 2020 for tradeswomen across Washington State.
The EmPower event is unique in that it brings together women in trades careers to celebrate their success as leaders, inspire other women to find and embrace their inner leader, and showcase the possibilities when women succeed in breaking barriers.
The second project made from pre-fabricated pieces of sheet metal was donated by Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC. This project build gave participants experience in working with sheet metal as well as wood to understand how the same type of project, a toolbox, is constructed in two different ways from very different materials. Students were each able to take their sheet metal toolbox home as a reminder of the event and career opportunities available to them.
The Regional Apprenticeship Program is open to high school junior and senior students of all experience levels. Students interested in applying for the program for fall 2020 should see their high school counselor to apply. Enrollment for the 2020-21 school year will open in early April.
For more information about the Regional Apprenticeship Program, contact Anne Carnell, anne_carnell@msd25.org, or call 360-965-0035.
Click HERE to view a slideshow of the Girls Build! event.