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TECHNICAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
Established in 1987, the goals of the Technical Opportunities Program (TOP) are to create awareness and demand for access to nontraditional opportunities, provide women with the knowledge and skills to succeed, and support their entry and retention in these occupations.
- To combat the lack of awareness, CWIT conducts extensive targeted outreach to women through the media, a variety of community organizations and employment service providers, offers weekly information sessions, and hosts two orientation/career fairs annually.
- To address the need for preparation, the program offers a twelve-week training course twice annually. Serving women exclusively, the course provides women with comprehensive academic, physical and emotional preparation within the context of a supportive environment that builds confidence and personal strength as well as the basic skills needed to succeed.
- To improve access for women prepared to enter the trades, the program provides job placement assistance including career planning, resume development, job club/support group meetings, and referrals to apprenticeship programs, contractors and other nontraditional opportunities.
- To promote retention, the program follows-up with women regularly, encouraging them to maintain their connection to CWIT and providing mediation, counseling, support, and replacement assistance as needed.
- To replicate our model training program nationwide, we provide our curriculum guide In for a Change and technical assistance to organizations interested in helping women reach high wages.
Program Curriculum
Technical Opportunities Program, a 12 week, 200 hour program held on two weekday evenings and Saturday days, prepares women to enter the skilled trades and other non-traditional occupations through:
Career exploration (Taste of the Trades)
TOP students spend almost each of their 12 Saturdays doing on hands-on construction activities and learning to safely operate hand and power tools with tradeswomen trainers, or taking field trips with hands-on activities at manufacturing facilities or union apprenticeship training schools to learn about the variety of opportunities in non-tradition fields
During the weekdays, their training consists of:
Academics
- Basic Math - fractions, decimals, percentages, square roots
- Geometry and Measuring
- Introduction to Algebra
- Basic blueprint reading
Mechanical reasoning and spatial relations
Physical conditioning
- 2 hours of aerobic exercise and lessons on nutrition every week
Job search skills
- Interviewing
- Resume writing
- Time Management
- Budgeting
- Goal setting
- Thorough understanding of the apprenticeship process
Women who have completed the program have gone on to become Carpenters, bricklayers, quality control inspectors, Elevator Mechanics, Laborers, Electricians, machine operators, and much more. With your assistance, we hope to improve TOP and supply you and other employers and apprenticeship programs with qualified, highly motivated workers.
To request a copy of our curriculum fill out our publications order form and send a $10.00 check to CWIT. Or click here to access a full list of publications.
Technical Opportunities Program Accomplishments
In fiscal year 2000, (July 1999 to June 2000):
- 456 women attended information and orientation sessions
- 60 enrolled in the training course, of whom 43 graduated
- 70 graduates and other job seekers were placed in full-time employment
- CWIT met or exceeded performance on performance projections for program funders
In fiscal year 2001 (July 2000 to June 2001) we have: - Served a total 438 women through information and orientation sessions
- Trained 54 participants, of whom 41 graduated
- Placed over 55 graduates and other tradeswomen in employment and apprenticeships
- Placed 10 of 17 women graduating on June 22, 2001, including eight carpenters, one plumber, and one drywall apprentice
With much of the past year spent on developing new staff and creating a program plan, we are now working to improve program services as described below.
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive evaluation plan in collaboration with the University of Illinois' Center for Research on Women and Gender
- Revising program curriculum and soliciting feedback from manufacturing and construction industry employers
- Extending client follow-up to two years, improving information gathered at follow-up and systems to track progress
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