We Thrive Women in the Trades
A new pilot program called We Thrive Women in the Trades, supported by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, will provide $200,000 to support a new initiative recruiting women into trade programs at Minneapolis College over the next two years. This pathway to high-demand, well-paying jobs champions asset-building career solutions benefiting women and their families.
Special marketing and outreach will support recruitment efforts attracting women to participate in the We Thrive Women in the Trades pilot program and boost awareness of the economic benefits of a career in the trades. The College will select student participants from eligible applicants who are women age 25 and over with an interest in one of the five School of Trade Technologies programs offered at Minneapolis College: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration; Welding and Metal Fabrication; CNC Machinist; Bicycle Assembly and Repair Technician; and Aircraft Maintenance Technician.
“Along with hands-on training, wraparound support services will mitigate barriers to women’s ability to complete their education such as access to adequate childcare, transportation, emergency aid funds, and other needs that threaten student retention,” said Alison Sherman, corporate and foundation grants officer at Minneapolis College, who indicated students will participate in a special cohort beginning in the fall of 2025 and 2026 to encourage connection and encouragement.
“This initiative is a cross-functional collaboration including financial support in the form of scholarships, mentoring programs, peer support, leadership skills training, and career services to help students navigate roadblocks to their academic success. The two-year program will inspire gender diversity in the trades and provide support for women from enrollment to graduation.”
“The We Thrive grant beautifully links Minneapolis College’s past and present to educate students for a brighter future. In 1914, Elizabeth Fish established Minneapolis College to educate women for careers in trades, including dressmaking and millinery, that would allow them to earn family-sustaining salaries,” said Vincent Thomas, Dean, School of Trade Technologies at Minneapolis College.
“Today, we have women instructors in our airplane mechanic, bicycle mechanic, and HVAC technician programs, all of whom joined our faculty within the last four years. Their talents and the College’s historic commitment to providing career pathways for women will provide We Thrive participants with an education that will positively change their lives and the lives of their families.”
The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota supports community-based, community-led solutions to ensure safety, opportunity, and pathways to economic security for women, girls, gender-expansive people and families across Minnesota. The We Thrive grants support wealth-building by investing in education.
“We know from our research that the gender wage gap in Minnesota has barely budged over the past decade. On average, women in Minnesota make 81 cents for every dollar that men make. That adds up to almost half a million dollars that women in Minnesota lose in lifetime earnings due to this gap,” said Gloria Perez, President and CEO of the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, “The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota supports programs like We Thrive Women in the Trades because it can help close that gender wealth gap and provide pathways for more women to enter career fields that offer better pay.”
“The We Thrive grant is vital for empowering women in trade programs, helping them overcome financial and systemic barriers to thrive in industries historically dominated by men,” said Heidi Aldes, Dean of Enrollment Management at Minneapolis College, who is part of a collaborative team that supports the new pilot. “Without these comprehensive programs, students may not have the resources to stay in school and graduate.”