Mid-State Technical College will showcase recent graduates and current students in honor of Women in Construction Week, March 6–10. Cadence Becker, Christina Ermis, Hailey Fisher, Cassie Fox, Kristin Mertes and Emily Simonis will be featured throughout the week on the College’s website and social media channels. 

In 2021, women accounted for just 10.9 percent of all workers in the construction industry in the U.S. This percentage has remained nearly unchanged for the last 20 years. Women in Construction Week takes place during the first week in March every year to raise awareness and celebrate the work of women in the construction industry. 

“A huge challenge for me was being the first female field worker in my company, but showing up with all of my own tools, being on time and already having a background of knowledge through the years helped me stand out in the field quickly,” said Cassie Fox, third-year Carpenter Apprenticeship student with The Boson Company, Inc., in Marshfield.

“We are proud to honor our students and graduates for Women in Construction Week and excited to share their stories,” said Mandy Mayek, associate dean of the School of Applied Technology. “Women are vastly underrepresented in the construction trades. I’m hopeful their success stories might inspire other women to explore these rewarding careers.”

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) first established the week in 1998 to celebrate women in construction. NAWIC was founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry to create a support network for women working in a male-dominated field. It gained its national charter in 1955 and there are now more than 115 chapters across the U.S. The organization provides many opportunities to its members, including educational, professional development, scholarships and mentoring.

Learn more about the featured students and graduates this week on Mid-State’s Facebook at facebook.com/MidStateTech or Instagram at instagram.com/midstate_technical_college. Their full profiles are also available on Mid-State’s website at mstc.edu/WICW.