Bangor Career Center marks Women in Construction Week with ‘Women in Trades’ hiring event

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Kicking off Women’s History Month, did you know the first week of March is Women in Construction Week? It’s meant to highlight the emerging role and visibility of women in the construction industry, who now make up over 11% of the total workforce.

To celebrate, Bangor’s Career Center hosted the ‘Women in Trades’ hiring event Wednesday.

“We’re encouraging obviously women, but all people to come on out to experience occupations and see if they’re interested,” explains Career Center Manager Paul Ruggiero.

About 20 vendors represented a range of trades. Many brought hands-on activities to better showcase a day on the job, allowing interested individuals to explore options, no caution tape necessary.

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works took it to the next level, allowing folks to step into their Mobile Learning Center parked outside the center.

“We are able to bring various activities, various curriculum around to any region, and be able to really help not only educate communities, but really be able to promote the needs of the shipyard within the communities that we visit,” describes Amanda Reibel, senior recruitment coordinator. “It really helps us be approachable. BIW is notoriously unapproachable, and now we’re bringing a team out to answer questions, to get interest piqued by the various activities that we are bringing around.”

For Ruggiero, hosting these events is a way to invite those who may be intimidated to explore and embark on new career paths: “I think it’s very important to show what these occupations are. Individuals might not know what that occupation consists of, the tasks that are involved. So it’s a lot of education. So to encourage the women that come out to show them and say, ‘Oh, that’s what that job is. I could do that. I’m interested, tell me more about it. How do I do that?’“

For folks looking to expand their skillset, they could find resources there, too!

From the Department of Labor, apprenticeship programs were also on display.

“The value is that workforce development, that you are earning a wage, a real wage, while you are learning that new trade,” Apprenticeship Technical Representative Amanda Dennison describes. “And typically, I believe the number is 90% of those apprentices stay with those companies once they are an apprentice.”

The Career Center on Oak St. hosts hiring events similar to these every month.

You can also access job listings online or visit them Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.