There's more construction work than Construction Workers and that means the race is on to recruit more people to the Trades.

Locals across the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) are casting a wider net by welcoming historically underrepresented groups like Women and People 0f Color and some are even starting in middle school.

Philadelphia Local 98 Business Manager Mark Lynch, Jr. says: "Knowledge and an understanding of what the Building Trades are and how these careers can lead to a rewarding life are too often reserved for young Men while they are in high school or even younger.  Reaching Women at a younger age, before they make their career choices, invites them into the conversation and gives them an option that they may not have known existed."

That's the impetus behind Rosie's Girls, Local 98's Pre-Apprenticeship Program for girls in Philadelphia and the surrounding area.

Run through the local's training arm, Apprentice Training for the Electrical Industry, the program is for young Women who are entering 11th and 12th grades.

Named after the iconic image of a Woman Factory Worker from World War II, it is designed to introduce young Women to the Electrical and Building Trades by familiarizing them with topic areas including safety, tools and material, the theoretical basics of electrical and telecommunications installation, and jobsite conditions.

"While there have been some Local 98 Female Recruitment Programs in the past, we felt there was a need to reach them at a younger age, to introduce them to the field and provide them with the technical and emotional support to enter the industry," Lynch said. "Both Local 98 and ATEI wanted to demonstrate to young Women that they can pursue a rewarding career with us."

Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, Local 520 is starting even younger.

It sponsors a construction camp for middle school girls put on by Rosendin Electric and the Austin Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction.

The free week-long camp gives the girls a safe and supportive space to explore career paths in the Construction Industry while getting hands-on experience.

Outfitted with a hard hat, safety glasses and work gloves, first-year campers learn how to safely use power tools and spend the week constructing concrete planters, lamps and doghouses that are then donated to a local animal shelter.

Those seven days can be transformative, said Jolsna Thomas, who serves as the President of The Rosendin Foundation, Rosendin Electric's charitable arm.

"A lot of the girls are hesitant and shy at first because they've never touched tools before.  And some are very petite - the tools are as tall as they are," Thomas said. "But once they start working with the tools, their confidence increases to no bounds."

These programs offer middle and high school girls the opportunity to try out the Trades at a crucial time in their education.

In Texas, State Law requires students to pick a career path when they enter high school.

To Continue Reading This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Locals' Outreach Programs Give Young Women a Glimpse of the Electrical Trade (ibew.org)

IBEW Photo.