Increasing gender diversity in the skilled trades workforce sector: An intervention at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Cindy Morrow Messer (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Kofi Lomotey
Abstract: Occupational segregation by gender continues with a significant underrepresentation of women in the skilled trades industry. There is a significant workforce shortage in the skilled trades industry locally, regionally, and nationally. Additionally, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit qualified skilled trades workers due to the limited pipeline of skilled workers. The number of women entering the skilled trades sector is consistently lower than the number of men, further contributing to the lack of gender diversity in the skilled trades workforce sector. In this improvement initiative, I sought to improve gender diversity and increase the number of female students accessing the skilled trades workforce sector at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech). Industry-led marketing initiatives and marketing practices focused on women in skilled trades careers were used to enhance women’s career-related self-efficacy and increase their exposure to skilled trades and awareness of work-based learning opportunities leading to improved gender diversity and an increased number of female students accessing the skilled trades workforce sector. Through a scholar-practitioner lens, I used the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to test a change in outreach and recruitment efforts traditionally used by the College. I intended for the intervention to increase gender diversity and create equity in a traditionally male-dominated program area at A-B Tech.
Increasing gender diversity in the skilled trades workforce sector: An intervention at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
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Created on 5/1/2022
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
- Subjects
- Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Skilled labor
- Women employees
- Employee retention
- Equality