This month, Bell Fuels president Stella Gaytan will convene a public and industry panel discussion to bring women in the trades together for an evening of community and discussion.
Sylvie Légère, social entrepreneur, investor and advocate for civic engagement, will serve as the keynote speaker. Panelists include Heather Plote, corporate DBE coordinator for Plote Construction Inc.; Karen Coley, president of SBC Waste Solutions; and Tamara McCollough, DEI outreach associate for Local 150 Operating Engineers. Juana Estrada, a next-generation Latina leader, will moderate the panel.
The event is titled “Rising Together: Women in the Trades” and will take place at 4245 N. Knox Avenue in Chicago on Aug. 14 from 6-8:30 p.m. RSVP to the event through Eventbrite.
All ticket proceeds go to the Chicago Hope Academy.
There are about 650,000 workers missing from the construction industry, and construction backlogs are now at a four-year high.
These industry gaps must be filled, and why not fill them with women?
The event is designed to bring Chicago-area women in trades — across all sectors — together to promote three major points:
- Tell a Friend — In 2023, the number of women working in the trades reached the highest level ever, with 363,651. This momentum must be kept.
- Debunk Stereotypes — Real tradeswomen who are thriving doing hands-on, high-paid work must continue to be shown.
- Culture Shift — Nearly one in four tradeswomen report experiencing frequent or constant sexual harassment while on the job. There must be zero tolerance in the workplace.
