Women’s Construction Forum Creates Video for for Female Students Considering Career in Construction
The Women in Construction Forum, a group of female industry professionals in residential and commercial construction in Upstate S.C., recently created a video for the Greenville County School System to provide an informational pathway for female students considering the construction field as a future career.
As part of an effort to increase the number of female professionals in a male-dominated industry, the WCF produced two videos featuring their own members, to talk about their career paths, their current jobs, and why it is important to have female representation. The videos can be viewed online and Greenville County Work-Based Learning Coordinators will share them with their Career Center students and their feeder schools.
“Lately, our students have missed out on important industry interactions because of COVID restrictions. Sometimes, you have to see it to believe it, and young girls need to believe there is a place for them to thrive in the construction industry,” said Michelle Willis, one of four Work-Based Learning Coordinator for Greenville County Schools. “This professionally-produced video could be a barrier-buster by allowing young girls to imagine themselves as professional women in non-traditional roles just like the women featured in the video.”
Member’s represented in this first video are Christi Powell with 84 Lumber, Aubrey Davis with Langston Construction, Tommi Jones with Clemson University, and Natasha Sexton with Sexton Design & Development. The location was at The Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, a Sexton Design & Development project, being managed by The Kessler Collection. The members want to serve as a resource for females interested in construction. We are excited about what’s on the horizon for helping females know how rewarding construction life can be.
“Each of our members understands what the reality is in this field, and encouraging young women to consider a careecr in construction-related industries is not only vital to our companies, but to our workforce across South Carolina,” said Angela Gardner, Director of Business Development and Marketing for Hill Electric, who serves on the Women Construction Forum’s leadership team. “We wanted to take on this project because we are passionate about supporting workforce development, educating youth and especially young females in non-traditional roles.”
Rachel Veltri, the Business Development Manager for Morgan-Keefe Builders, added, “During school, the only woman who came to speak with us “girls” was a nurse, and I knew immediately that I had no interest in that career. My professional career has not been traditional for a woman, I spent the first part in commercial real estate which expanded into many roles in construction. I always pursued what interested me and not what was typical, which truly was not the easiest path. I hope that our efforts will help young women believe that they can pursue any career that suits their interest and talents.
For more information on WCF or their efforts in workforce efforts in South Carolina, contact Angela Gardner at angela@hillelectric.net.
About Women’s Construction Forum
The Women Construction Forum is an organization that provides education, experience and personal connection for women in fields surrounding both residential and commercial construction, including contractors, architects, project managers, business owners and many more. Founded in 2019 in Upstate South Carolina, the forum meets monthly, with the vision to “help build up women and their voices in the construction arena by empowering, engaging, and mentoring women entering the industry.” Learn more about the Women Construction Forum by contacting Rachel Veltri at RachelV@morgankeefe.com or Angela Gardner at angela@hillelectric.net.
Pictured: Peter Werner (PM, The Kessler Collection) and WCF members (Aubrey Davis, Christi Powell, Natasha Sexton, Tommi Jones, Rachel Veltri, Angela Gardner). Photo credit: David Junker, Muse 10 Photography
