If you are not familiar with the North Carolina based nonprofit, She Built This City, it is time to start checking this organization out.
She Built This City was founded four years ago in Charlotte and has recently expanded to Greensboro.
The new location will be at Forge Greensboro, which is a nonprofit community makerspace in the city.
During an interview with Fox 8 at the grand opening of She Built This City in Greensboro, Brandy Hamilton, a graduate of the organization’s programming, said “Some little girls didn’t grow up to be told they could do anything but be a princess not a plumber … never”.
This nonprofit works tirelessly to change that narrative.
Executive Director, LaToya Faustin, started working for the nonprofit in 2019, and has launched a number of innovative programs that benefit young people, women, and marginalized communities.
Some of Faustin’s goals for the organization is to create economic mobility and empower communities with the tools they need to make a living wage so they can live wherever they want.
In her October interview with Queen City Nerve, Faustin said, “So there’s the new construction, there’s the rehabilitation work, there’s all kinds of things that make construction one of those spaces that is in high demand right now….You don’t need a four-year degree and you can have a very, very lucrative career in an area that does not stop.”
Some of She Built This City’s programming includes Adult Workforce Development, in which they offer pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships.
During the organization’s nine-week pre-apprenticeship, participants learn the basic skills needed to build long lasting careers in the trade industry. These skills include construction math, and tool usage and handling, and participants are able to practice with industry professionals. In addition, this program provides child supervision for ages 3-12, which is amazing for participants with young children!
Once participants graduate from the pre-apprenticeship program, they are qualified to enter entry-level positions, which most times start at $20 an hour. Or they can choose to apply for the She Built This City’s apprenticeship program.
Within the organization’s two year apprenticeship, participants are provided with Monday through Friday classroom instruction and on-the-job training. The curriculum is taught by a licensed general contractor and they also learn from industry professionals from several construction trades. This apprenticeship is fully paid and provides certification in OSHA and First Aid/CPR.
If you know someone that would benefit from these programs, encourage them to apply here.
Also, if you want to partner with this organization on community projects to revitalize your community or school, feel free to reach out through this email – info@shebuiltthiscity.org. They would love to hear from you!
And if you want to volunteer or donate to She Built This City, click here.
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It takes all of us to create a new narrative where women and girls can be princesses Queens, and, plumbers and electricians. Let’s work with and support the work of She Built This City to make this new narrative happen!
