Let’s meet the National Association of Women in Construction, an organization of women who work in all aspects of the construction industry, from engineering and design to construction management and including construction tradeswomen.

NAWIC aims to educate young women (and men) about the jobs available within the construction industry. For example, NAWIC’s recent BlockKids building competition tested students’ creativity and critical thinking skills.

The organization’s Camp NAWIC, a one-week, free summer camp for high school girls, allows young women to learn about various types of construction.

Camp participants team up with female apprentices to learn about carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical, welding, drywall finishing and more. These are hands-on jobs that result in the physical development and applications of engineered plans and systems, all of which require STEM skills.

Christy Turner, a past president of NAWIC, says the construction industry has lots of opportunities that students may be unaware of—whether they’re college bound or prefer working with their hands in the field—and encourages more students to explore them through BlockKids and Camp NAWIC.