Central Ohio middle, high school girls attend construction summer camp

PLAIN CITY, Ohio (WCMH) -- With several big projects coming to central Ohio, from Intel to Google, more workers are needed for construction.

That need is why some central Ohio women in construction put together a camp for young girls. Girls from seventh through ninth grade were able to attend the Building My Future construction camp at Tolles Career and Technical Center during the first week of August.

“The industry is in need of more people, and it’s just really exciting to show girls that this is definitely an opportunity,” organizer Adrienne Sraver said. “This is a viable career for them, and it’s really fun.”

Over two and a half days, campgoers tried their hand at welding, built light structures and learned how to use heavy machinery.

“It’s getting their hands dirty -- knowing that maybe one day they might do some of this at home, like with DIY, maybe this could be a career. Just to kind of debunk that this is not something they can do,” Sraver said.

They were also excited to get their hands dirty by operating an excavator, a lift and a bulldozer. Jolene Kustra, a camp attendee heading into ninth grade, said the experience opened her eyes to new career possibilities.

“It would be good for me to learn how to do some of this stuff. I don’t know, I might want to go into construction,” Kustra said.

Camp organizers said that was exactly the goal.

“The construction industry here in Columbus is really growing and booming and we need all the people we can get into the trades -- especially women -- and letting them know that this is not just for men, it’s for women, it’s for everyone,” said Jess Headland, a Turner Construction Company superintendent.