Planting seeds for the advancement of women in the metal industry

MCS Influencer Lee Ann Slattery says it is important to offer mentorship and visibility for young girls in the skilled trades.

Companies have found it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain women in both field and office roles in the metal construction industry. To help combat that challenge, it is important to offer mentorship and visibility for women in the skilled trades.  

I believe it begins with reaching young girls to introduce them (and their parents) to potential careers that they may never have considered. Since 2017, I’ve been a founding member of the Lehigh Valley Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls. We are celebrating our 10th year of camp this June. This program is designed for middle and high school-aged girls to attend a free week-long camp to explore the construction trades, architecture, engineering and construction manufacturing through hands-on experiences and field trips.       

The exposure to careers in the metal construction industry is from my employer’s (ATAS International) support and involvement in the camp. Through tours of our manufacturing headquarters, hands-on experience in installing metal roof panels and wall cladding, and making a bird feeder or a toolbox using a sheet metal brake, they can explore different aspects of working with metal. When visiting ATAS, the campers get to meet several women who work here in a variety of roles, including technical service advisors; customer service and outside sales reps; production employees; and accounting, marketing and administrative support people, so they get a broad picture of all the different roles it takes to run a manufacturing company.  

A few of the campers have gone on to further education and/or careers in carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, interior design and architecture. Many have come back to volunteer when they are no longer eligible to attend camp because they enjoyed the experience so much and value the opportunity to teach and mentor younger campers. 

The best part of the Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls is not only the skills they learn but the growth in self-confidence evident on the last day of camp. New friends are made, and the importance of working as a team is embraced. This is one way we can plant the seeds for future growth within the metal construction industry.