A Hands-on Conference for 8th Grade and High School Girls*
New Ventures Maine organizes free, one-day Totally Trades! conferences throughout Maine to encourage female students to consider careers in fields traditionally dominated by men.
This year almost 800 students will have the opportunity to explore careers in trades and technology. Featured careers include:
- Heavy Equipment Operation
- Welding
- Information Technology
- Building Construction
- Engineering
- Cable Technician
- Electrical
- Plumbing and Heating
- Cyber Security
Non-traditional welding student Ariel Pelton shares skills with other girls. Read more.
“We give girls a hands-on workshop experience to spark their interest and raise awareness about a career field that they may not have previously considered, as well as provide female role models – women who can lead by example, having already succeeded in pursuing work that traditionally is viewed as ‘man’s work’,” says Suzanne Senechal-Jandreau, Aroostook County Regional Manager.
Mark your calendars!
The Totally Trades! Fall 2019 conferences are right around the corner:
- Ellsworth on Wednesday, 10/16 at Hancock County Technical Center
- For more information, contact Tom Grogan at 262-7843 or thomas.grogan@maine.edu
- Ellsworth TT WABI Coverage
- Calais: Friday, 10/25 at Washington County Community College
- For more information, contact Suzanne Senechal-Jandreau at 768-9635 or senechal@maine.edu
- Farmington: Friday, 11/8 at Foster Career and Technology Education Center
- For more information, contact Janet Smith at 778-2757 or janet.smith@maine.edu
- Farmington TT Sun Journal Coverage
*conferences for self–identifying girls and gender-expansive youth.
Primary funding is provided by the Maine Dept. of Transportation and Maine Dept. of Education/Career and Technical Education. Additional in-kind and financial support is provided by:
- Cianbro
- Cynthia McMullin Fund for Women of the Maine Community Foundation
- Hardypond Construction
- Charter/Spectrum Communications
- Central Maine Community College
- Foster Career and Technical Education Center
- Hancock County Technical Center
- Northern Maine Community College
- Washington County Community College
Westbrook Totally Trades! advisor and funder, Deirdre Wadsworth (Owner of Hardypond Construction), was recently recognized in MaineBiz’s Women to Watch. Read her story here.
There are Career and Technical Education (CTE) Centers and Regions throughout Maine that provide hands-on training programs for high school students. For more information about a CTE Center close to you, visit mainecte.org.
For more information on how New Ventures Maine is working to introduce girls and women to non-traditional career fields contact Jean Dempster at 207-621-3434 or dempster@maine.edu
Related Classes
| Class | Date | Program Area | Location | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Confidence | 2019-11-06 November 06, 2019 (ends November 20, 2019) | Build your Career | Bangor | North Central/Downeast |
| My Next Career Move | 2019-10-31 October 31, 2019 (ends November 21, 2019) | Build your Career | South Portland | Southern |
| Building Confidence | 2019-12-03 December 03, 2019 (ends December 17, 2019) | Build your Career | Oxford | Western |
| My Next Career Move | 2020-01-08 January 08, 2020 (ends February 12, 2020) | Build your Career | Online | Statewide |
| My Next Career Move | 2020-04-08 April 08, 2020 (ends May 13, 2020) | Build your Career | Online | Statewide |