CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Girls living in small towns like Taft, Sinton, and Odem just to name a few, have a shot at having a career in construction, energy, and manufacturing.
"This is their job, their future. We don't have to bring in outside people to take these outside jobs. That's what started the conversation,” This One's For the Gals Founder, Stephanie Hajducek said.
Over the last 3 years, Hajducek has spent time building This One's For The Gals, a nonprofit organization.
"A couple of years ago, I saw a disconnect between the local industry partners and school districts. I didn't see them engaging and helping them learn about these careers that outside their back door,” Hajducek said.
Hajducek first started to recruit girls at Sinton ISD. She soon discovered that smaller communities like Sinton lacked resources such as career exploration and workforce development.
"They weren't lining up to attend this conference because they didn't know what women in the industry meant and what career opportunities are open to them,” Stephanie Hajducek. "We did have our first success story. A girl that went to that first conference in Galveston and she had an opportunity to speak with a group of female instrument technicians and she got interested in that."
Lindsay Meade wants to be a technician when she grows up.
Lindsay has been involved with This One's For The Gals since her junior year of high school. She said it was a life-changing decision.
"I didn't want to go to a four-year university. I was just going to enlist in the military but then this opportunity came along,” Meade said.
Now Lindsay plans to stay close to home and work at one of the refineries in the Coastal Bend.
"I'm excited to get a jump on that and get to specialize in what I want to do,” Meade said.
The 2024 Coastal Bend Women in Industry Conference is happening in April. Even though it’s for high school students only. This One’s For The Gals is open to anyone wanting a career in the industrial field.
