BLAZE: Girl Trailblazers in the Trades

media release:  The Madison Area Builders Association and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, along with the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center, are honored to offer BLAZE: Girl Trailblazers in the Trades Camp. This week-long program is designed for high school girls (ages 14 – 18, females or non-binary) to explore the construction trades through hands-on experiences and field trips. Campers will visit multiple employers and discover careers such as; carpentry, electrical, interior design, architecture, siding, roofing, heavy machinery operation, and more. Over 50 female volunteers in these careers are joining us for the BLAZE program to introduce young people to the rewarding careers available to them in the construction industry.

Women represent only 11% of careers in construction, up from 10% in 2022. There are currently around 400,000 open jobs nationwide. With the demand for new housing units, the need for workers will increase dramatically over the next three years. By providing a pathway for young women to construction, BLAZE could help fill the gap! In Dane County, these campers could potentially work to meet demand for over 150,000 housing units in the next 25 years.

While seeing and hearing about careers in the trades is a great start, the main attraction for BLAZE is building two full-sized sheds – with one being auctioned off to support future McKenzie Regional Workforce Center programming. “You never know what you can accomplish until you try, and many of the campers have little to no experience with building projects”, says Stephanie Johnston, AVP at Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County. “These girls will be amazed by what they accomplish this week!”

Camp will be held Monday through Friday from July 15 - July 19, 2024 between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The meeting location will be at McKenzie Regional Workforce Center, 5215 Verona Road in Fitchburg. A graduation event will be held on Friday, July 19th from 3:30 to 5:00 PM.

Programming for the week includes:

Monday, July 15

DESIGN & MEP Day

Learn about architecture, interior design, general contracting HVAC, electrical, and plumbing

Tuesday, July 16

DREXEL BUILDING SUPPLY TOUR & CONCRETE DAY

Learn ways to effectively assemble building materials needed for construction

Wednesday, July 17

PARISI CONSTRUCTION JOBSITE TOUR & FRAMING DAY

Learn about land development and infrastructure projects and learn how to frame a shed

Thursday, July 18

EXTERIOR DAY

Learn how to waterproof, window installation, siding installation

Friday, July 19

GERHARDS SITE TOUR & GRADUATION DAY

Learn from a roofing presentation, roof installation, crane demonstration, graduation celebration

Registration is still open. The BLAZE program is free of charge. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Participants who successfully complete the program will earn $50. This event is sponsored by the Madison Area Builders Association and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County. To register, please visit: https://bgcdc.formstack.com/forms/careerforce_buildup_2024