The Consultative Council's annual report focuses on two key issues: a national shortage of skilled workers in technical trades and the need for more efficient and safe use and distribution of water resources. I encourage you to read the full report here!
One of the topics discussed in the report and at the first briefing was the issue of the declining workforce available for the building and construction industries. Sara Yerkes, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the International Code Council (ICC), spoke on this topic and offered recommendations including reaching out to more women and veterans to promote the building industries as potential career choices. Following this briefing, she and I scheduled a meeting to discuss our mutual interest in STEM outreach.
As a result, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the ICC offices to meet with Ms. Yerkes, who was kind enough to take the time out of her busy schedule to discuss how we could work together to determine how best to reach out to women in particular to promote not only STEM careers, but technical and vocational career education as well. We discussed my Girls Can Change the World with Science work, as well as ICC's fantastic High School Technical Training Program, the Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition, and H.R. 2045. It was wonderful to hear that several Virginia high schools are already participating in ICC's High School Technical Training Program!
Following this conversation, I was inspired to consider how I can best incorporate NIBS and ICC's workforce goals into my STEM outreach. As a civil and environmental engineering student, I am invested in the future of the building and construction industry, and as a result, I plan to incorporate new outreach elements focusing on introducing students to these areas, including the topics of building codes and code compliance. In addition, while I already focus on promoting STEM fields in general, I will ensure that I work with students to explore the university-based career possibilities (science, research, engineering, medicine, nursing, computer science, math, etc.) but also the vast array of vital technical and vocational STEM career possibilities (construction, welding, auto repair/mechanic work, plumbing, etc.). For many students, this type of career path is an ideal opportunity, as it fulfills a societal need, trains students to be highly skilled, and enables students to capitalize on their natural mechanical or hands-on talents. The push for all students to attend four-year universities causes some students, particularly women, to avoid exploring these paths; however, this type of career path has the potential to be very fulfilling and can offer financial stability surpassing that offered by many four-year college degrees.
Because this is such an important point, I plan to reach out to vocational training programs and career education centers near the schools that I visit in an effort to partner and expand the scope of Girls Can Change the World with Science this year.