Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring Program Celebrates Women In Construction Week
Working alongside corporate partners Clayco, Power Construction, ComED, and Joliet Junior College, girls ages 7 to 17 will receive first-hand exposure to the construction, engineering, and automotive industries.
Chicago, IL — With women representing under 4 percent of construction workers in the United States, Polished Pebbles Girls Mentorship Program is proud to announce programming for Women In Construction Week (through March 8th) with a series of job shadow opportunities for young girls in the Chicagoland area.
Aligning with new and long-time corporate partners Clayco, Power Construction, ComED and Joliet Junior College, students ages 7 to 17 will gain meaningful exposure to various underrepresented industries including construction, robotics, engineering and automotive in an effort to close the Hope Gap and inspire a new generation of diverse workers.
‘Women In Construction Week’ programming:
● March 6, 2024: Power Construction is hosting 25 female students on a tour of a live construction site.
10 am to 1 pm at 1415 W 35th St, Chicago, IL, 60609.
● March 6, 2024: ComED is hosting a day at ComEd with three girl serving organizations including Polished Pebbles. During the day, the girls will learn about career pathways at ComEd through various workshops and activities (electric circuits, light pole climbing, training yard, and trucking).
10 am to 12:30 pm at 2032 N Clybourn, Chicago, IL, 60614.
● March 7, 2024: Clayco is hosting a second group of students for a job shadow tour. 10 am to 1 pm at 35 E Wacker Drive, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL, 60601.
● March 8, 2024: Joliet Junior College is hosting students from Lindop Elementary to visit the campus and learn about careers in Robotics, Prosthetics, Automotive, and more. 10 am to 1:30 pm at 1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL, 60431.
Current data shows that 314,000+ women currently work in trades occupations. Over the last 5 years, the number of women in trades increased by 32 percent; yet, women only represent 3.9 percent of total workers in construction.
Founded by Chicago’s Kelly Fair, Polished Pebbles Girls Mentoring Program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing professional skills for school-aged Black and Brown girls to prepare them for career readiness in the future workplace. Polished Pebbles helps girls ages 8-18 become effective communicators at home, school, and their future careers.
The organization currently serves 1,500+ girls and young women per school year in Chicagoland, Indiana, Texas, and North Carolina. Since its inception in 2009, Polished Pebbles has worked with more than 10,000 African-American and Latinx girls and has provided over 600 mentors to girls in more than 125 school and community sites.
Latest Stories
- CTU Gathers with Faith-based Leaders to Highlight Recent Tentative Agreement Wins for Students and Educators
- COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER KISHA MCCASKILL TAKES CENTER STAGE AS SOUTH SUBURBAN COMMUNITY UNITES FOR A GREENER FUTURE
- RICH TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR CALVIN JORDAN LEADS HEARTWARMING SPRING CELEBRATION FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WITH “EASTER JAMBOREE” CELEBRATION
- Local Musician’s Career Spans 50 Years
- Have Questions About Money? The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Can Help
Latest Podcast
STARR Community Services International, Inc.
