Mittie Cannon, director of workforce development for Alabama-based contractor Robins & Morton, has a solution to attract more young women to construction as a career—draw in their mothers, too. Local construction companies and state workforce developers teamed up to support “Power Up: It’s a Mother-Daughter Thing,” a craft demonstration event that drew nearly 1,500 middle-school girls and mothers to Birmingham last month.
The March 22 event challenged students to lay bricks, assemble motors and do virtual seam welds, among other craft skills. The program, a collaboration of Robins & Morton and statewide industry and government groups, was designed to encourage female middle-school students to consider construction as a career path. “We have [well-paying] jobs in Alabama, but many require technical skill, not just a four-year degree,” said Antiqua Cleggett, executive director of a state workforce development council. “The goal is to show young people that there are multiple pathways to livable-wage careers.”