State Rep. Tina Davis helped secure a $394,383 PASmart grant to implement Rosie’s Girls, an apprenticeship program designed to engage female high school students in southeastern Pennsylvania school districts in the electrical trade.
“I am very proud to have helped to secure this funding to implement Rosie’s Girls in our schools in Bucks County,” Davis said. “This program will encourage high school girls’ interests in pursuing rewarding and family-sustaining careers in the building trades through an empowering curriculum and engaged female mentors.”
Rosie’s Girls will be led by a female instructor and include an eight-class pre-apprenticeship program for young women in grades 11 and 12. In addition to class time and curriculum, students will receive mentoring from female electricians. The program will work with public school districts in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties to integrate Rosie’s Girls into annual educational offerings.
The apprenticeship program is a coordinated effort among IBEW 98 and public school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Since my election to office in 2010, I have advanced legislation and secured funding to help Bucks County develop the highly skilled workforce needed to compete in a global economy,” Davis said. “To ensure we are developing a top-notch workforce, we have to take extra steps so our young women are able to learn and thrive in STEM and trades careers.”
The funding for the grant comes from the PAsmart initiative. In 2018, the Wolf administration secured $60 million to enhance education and workforce development programs in the state through PAsmart grants.
