Construction Training Program for Girl Scouts Launches This Fall

The Home Depot Foundation and the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) are teaming up to provide young women interested in the skilled trades with the training and education they need to pursue those careers.

A pilot program to be launched this fall will feature construction workshops for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador level Girl Scouts in grades 8 through 12.  Female industry professionals will lead Girl Scout troops in Atlanta, Denver and Houston in these workshops, while sharing career guidance based on their experiences working in a male-dominated industry.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 only 11 percent of construction workers were women. A 2019 census by the National Association of Home Builders showed an even lower percentage of women among its members — nine percent.

“The statistics undoubtedly underline the imbalance of talent and roles held by women within the construction trade industry,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation.

“We recognized a natural intersection between the mission of The Foundation’s Path to Pro program and GSUSA’s focus on highlighting a variety of career pathways, leading to the creation of this joint effort. We’re proud to introduce this next step on our journey to preparing youth for the skilled trades, and we’re especially grateful to help bridge the opportunity gap for young women.”

As part of this joint initiative, The Home Depot Foundation will offer scholarships through its $250,000 “Path to Pro” scholarship program to Girl Scouts interested in attending trade schools or similar technical training programs.

“At Girl Scouts, we help girls discover who they want to be by introducing them to a wide variety of experiences to see what sparks their interest,” said Suzanne Harper, senior director of national programs and partnerships.

“From the very beginning, one of those experiences has been the skilled trades. We are thrilled to partner with The Home Depot Foundation to provide this innovative hands-on skilled trades experience that will allow girls to see themselves in these essential careers by connecting with role models to whom they can relate.”