MATC’s Oak Creek campus opened its doors to area Girl Scout troops for the annual Career Day on Saturday, March 7. The event allows the scouts to choose a program offered at MATC and get hands-on experience performing related tasks.
The programs offered included Architecture, Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Welding, Machining, Mechanical Engineering, Construction, Carpentry, Protective Services and Landscape Horticulture.
The scouts selected one area in the morning and a different one after lunch. According to Dorothy Walker, dean of the School of Technology and Applied Sciences, it was less important what selection the girls made and more important that they get to see that these types of careers are a viable and doable path for them.
“So it’s not about them choosing it,” Walker said, “but at least having the option to know that there are some careers that women can get into and be successful at. And most of all, we want them to have fun.”
The related tasks included designing a Scotch yoke device in Mechanical Engineering, learning to climb trees in Arboriculture, and building a birdhouse in Carpentry
“Don’t want any of the birdies getting a sliver,” the Carpentry instructor mentioned while explaining the importance of sanding.
Delisa White, Landscape Horticulture instructor, displayed the more active features of a compost pile.
“These are called red wigglers,” White said while holding out a handful of dirty worms. The first reaction from the group was “Eww!” That reaction quickly turned to curiosity.
Lauren Paull and Lindsey Boll, both of Franklin Troop 1011, chose Architecture and got to work on building gingerbread houses. They selected Architecture for two reasons:
“We really like art,” Paull said.
“And to build,” Boll continued.
The day isn’t just a great chance for the scouts to explore these technical careers.
“This is important because it allows parents, as well as the Girl Scouts to see all the different options that are open and available to them that they can actually get into and be successful,” Walker shared.
Karen Peliska of Greenfield is a parent of two daughters that participated in the Career Day. Peliska said this is the second consecutive year the family has come to MATC and appreciated the value it presented.
“It was only $8 per kid,” Pelisa shared. “This is a beautiful day.”