Success Story

Building New Careers in Construction  

At a job-training program in Atlanta, GA, it’s not unusual to hear the sounds of hammers, drills and power saws instead of the clicking of computer keys. That’s because Goodwill Industries of North Georgia created a bold, non-traditional program in construction trades to lift women out of poverty and help them achieve economic independence.  

Many of Atlanta’s poorest communities lay within an eight-mile radius of the Goodwill’s headquarters, and single mothers head almost half of the families in these neighborhoods. Some of the women in the communities are underemployed, some are on public assistance and some are working two full-time, low-paying jobs just to get by.  

NEW Choices for Women, an 11-week classroom and hands-on training program, has been helping women with low incomes, and especially women of color, connect to high-wage, non-traditional careers in the construction industry since 1995. Participants in the program spend 280 learning about the safe use of power and hand tools, exercising to build strength, and preparing for certification in flagging, forklift usage, and commercial driving.  

About one-quarter of the women accepted for NEW Choices are working poor; they hold full-time jobs but their earnings still fall below federal poverty guidelines. About half struggle with educational and social barriers to employment, 20 percent are recovering from substance abuse and another 20 percent have been previously incarcerated. The women are often in transitional living programs for domestic violence, substance abuse and/or homelessness.  

Case managers work with participants individually to identify barriers to their success in the training, and to make sure that they obtain necessary resources, such as transportation, childcare, housing assistance and other social supports.  

To gain hands-on experience in the field, the class spends one day each week working on a Habitat for Humanity home. Employers and tradeswomen participate in class discussions and provide valuable insight to participants on ways they can succeed in the male dominated construction industry. During the final four weeks, participants receive placement assistance or enter on-the-job training with local employers. To ensure their career success, Goodwill provides follow-up support, offering retention and re-placement services if necessary.

Since January 1995, more than 400 women have completed the training and 81 percent were placed as apprentice carpenters, electricians, plumbers, heavy equipment operators and other trades occupations. The average wage in 2003 is  $9.37 per hour.

---

Winner of a 2003 Families Count Family Strengthening Award, Sponsored by Goodwill Industries International and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.