“I want to be in manufacturing when I grow up” is not something you hear from most girls, but local organizations are working together to change that perception. In fact, manufacturing is an in-demand career open to all genders.

Recently, more than 100 high school students from the Tri-City areas participated in the GLAM event. The event was hosted by the Tri-City Development Council and Columbia Basin College, and WRPS participated as a key sponsor.

“It’s not a field that is talked about to girls,” said geologist Frannie Smith, who served as a mentor at the Girls Learning About Manufacturing (GLAM) event.
The main lesson during the interactive event taught the girls to make toys for specific audiences. Through inception to production, the girls were exposed to different career opportunities in the manufacturing industry.