Vermont Business Magazine Women Can Do, Vermont Works for Women’s signature career exploration conference for high school girls and gender expansive youth, returns to Vermont State University Randolph on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Up to 450 high school students from across the state will participate in dozens of hands-on activities designed to expose them to promising careers considered non-traditional for women. These include jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and the skilled trades. Press is invited to arrange to visit Women Can Do at any point during the conference (9:15am – 1:00pm).
At this year's conference, over 80 local employers will be in attendance to share more about career opportunities right here in Vermont. Many will also run hands-on activities in the Action Expo, where students will get to explore a variety of tools and equipment – from operating an excavator and using a crosscut saw, to using a flight simulator and wiring an electrical circuit.
“Vermont's youth can truly help grow our communities and diversify our industries, but representation, exposure, and encouragement matter most when it comes to career exploration. Women Can Do is the opportunity to explore, build confidence, and learn about the incredible opportunities these careers have for students across Vermont,” said Rhoni Basden, Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women. "In addition to trying new things, they’ll also have a chance to meet female and gender-expansive professionals who are building supportive and motivating careers for themselves, reminding us all that anything is possible!”
The absence of role models and lack of exposure to career options are two key factors that prevent women and girls from advancing in career fields where they are currently underrepresented. Additionally, women in Vermont tend to dominate fields where wages are significantly lower than fields dominated by men; among students who complete programs at Vermont’s career and technical education centers, female students are only 8% of construction graduates and 11% of manufacturing graduates on average. Women Can Do exists because “you can’t be what you can't see” and we know it is more important than ever to introduce girls and gender-expansive youth to the myriad of career options before them and inspire them to dream big about their futures.
Women Can Do is generously supported by Verizon, Vermont Department of Labor, EastRise Credit Union, Greenbacker, Hayward Tyler, NorthCountry Credit Union, VELCO, Vermont Gas Systems, and many additional corporate and individual supporters in the Vermont community.
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Vermont Works for Women (VWW) promotes economic justice by advancing gender equity and supporting women and youth at every stage of their career journeys. Its programs include: career education and exploration for middle and high school girls and gender-expansive youth; employment and career coaching and hard skills training for women, including incarcerated women; and gender equity services for schools and businesses to improve educational and workplace cultures for women. Learn more at https://vtworksforwomen.org.