PCHS freshman, Jaelynn Mazur, was just one of many PCHS girls that had the opportunity to test drive excavators and other large machinery at the She Digs event in Cygnet.

Port Clinton High School girls had an exciting career opportunity recently. The Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship and Training Center for the Local 18 Union hosted the She Digs event, providing an opportunity for students from Port Clinton High School to operate a wide range of heavy machinery.

The event, specifically targeted at young women, aimed to expose them to the construction industry, where women currently make up only 6% of the workforce. Students had the chance to drive excavators, dump trucks, backhoes, cranes, bobcats, forklifts and steamrollers, gaining hands-on experience with these powerful machines.

Port Clinton High School Career Coach, Mike Miller, organized the Oct. 3 trip to Cygnet for the event.

“One interesting fact was, a few of the freshmen had never driven anything prior to arriving at the event, so their first time driving was a 35,000-pound dump truck, and they loved it,” Miller said. “Students also did very well completing many of the tasks available.”

The She Digs event serves as an important initiative to encourage young women to consider careers in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry, providing them with the opportunity to explore their interests and skills in operating heavy machinery.

See more good news at Port Clinton Schools at www.pccsd.net or facebook.com/portclintonschools.