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Commending Mentoring Young Women in Construction (MYWIC), a free, six-day camp that is available to girls in 7th through 12th grade and is put on by the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation in conjunction with NAWIC Philadelphia Chapter and Girls, Inc.
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WHEREAS, Since 2009, women in the building trades have come together to show middle and high school-aged girls the possibilities of working in construction, carpentry, finishing, insulation installation, and more; and
WHEREAS, NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation, in conjunction with National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Philadelphia Chapter and Girls, Inc., started the Mentoring Young Women in Construction (MYWIC) day camp with just a handful of girls. Ten years later, there were 26 enrolled this summer, and enrollment continues to grow; and
WHEREAS, The free camp outfits each girl with a backpack filled with boots and socks, tools, and a journal. Each day, the girls travel to a different training center to get hands-on instruction from women in each industry trade. For example, over the course of a week, the girls will learn about woodworking, painting, hanging drywall and wallpaper, sprinkler fitting, and installing insulation. MYWIC has partnered with several of the local trade unions in the Philadelphia area to ensure the instruction is educating and rewarding; and
WHEREAS, The campers don’t just passively learn about each industry either. For example, at their on-site visits at partner unions’ training centers, the girls actively learn how to bend huge wire conduit pipes and also how to wire receptacles connected to a light bulb; and
WHEREAS, MYWIC also emphasizes pragmatic details like pay and benefits in the building trades. They tell campers about the prospect of getting done with work early in the day, about apprenticeships that pay for on-the-job training, and union membership. They especially emphasize union membership, in part because of its guarantee of equal pay for men and women; and
WHEREAS, A large goal of MYWIC is to educate girls about the opportunity to pursue a career as a woman in the building trades. Per a recent The Philadelphia Inquirer article, “Overall, the gender pay gap is much narrower in the construction industry than the national average. Women earn 93.4% of what men typically make. In comparison, women earn 82.1% of what men earn across all professions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics”; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Inquirer article also states, “According to a study from the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Employment Equity released in March, skilled blue-collar jobs are on the rise - but women are underrepresented in that growth. Though according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 43% more women are working in transportation, material moving, and warehouse jobs in 2018 than in 2000, the inclusion of women in lucrative skilled labor trades is slow”; and
WHEREAS, According to Camille Paglia, a professor at University of the Arts, having women join building trades could help repair our country’s infrastructure and rescue thousands from crippling college debt; and
WHEREAS, MYWIC has five key objectives for its campers: 1) Introduce young girls to women role models including: tradeswomen, engineers, architects, project managers, superintendents, lawyers, business owners, and administrative support, 2) Provide a supportive and nurturing environment for girls to explore and develop basic skills in carpentry, electrical, fire sprinkler, painting, taping, glazing, and laboring, 3) Offer girls a gender neutral environment to learn and practice new skills without fear of being teased or isolated, 4) Develop a Safety First attitude and a "We Can Do It" mindset, and 5) Introduce girls to apprenticeship programs and scholarship opportunities; and
WHEREAS, MYWIC is playing a vital role in trying to bring more women into the building trades. Many of the campers have gone on to get degrees in construction management, become apprentices, and pursue careers. And all campers experience the exhilaration of successfully performing tasks that promote leadership and team-building skills, as well as build self-confidence, self-esteem, and boost their overall self-image; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby commends Mentoring Young Women in Construction (MYWIC), a free, six-day camp that is available to girls in 7th through 12th grade and is put on by the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation in conjunction with NAWIC Philadelphia Chapter and Girls, Inc.
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