She Digs Event Empowers Port Clinton High School Young Women in Construction Industry

Port Clinton High School girls had an exciting career opportunity recently. The Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship and Training Center for the Local 18 Union hosted the "She Digs" event, providing an opportunity for students from Port Clinton High School to operate a wide range of heavy machinery.

The event, specifically targeted at young women, aimed to expose them to the construction industry, where women currently make up only 6% of the workforce. Students had the chance to drive excavators, dump trucks, backhoes, cranes, Bobcats, forklifts, and steamrollers, gaining hands-on experience with these powerful machines.

Port Clinton High School Career Coach organized the Sept 30 trip to Cygnet, Ohio for the event. According to Miller, "At this point all of the trades are in demand and this is a great opportunity for our female students to see what a career operating heavy machinery looks like. It is also a great way for them to talk to ladies that are already in the Local 18 Union and see what the benefits are for this line of work. I was very impressed by the skills that our young ladies showed today."

The "She Digs" event serves as an important initiative to encourage young women to consider careers in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry, providing them with the opportunity to explore their interests and skills in operating heavy machinery.