Five years after appearing on “Undercover Boss” and working alongside a female service professional in a male-dominated industry, the Women In The Trades (WITT) program launched by Dina Dwyer-Owens and The Dwyer Group is celebrating an important milestone as it continues to assist and advance career opportunities for women across the service trades.

Today, as WITT celebrates its fifth anniversary, The Dwyer Group has announced three more women as the latest recipients for the 2017 Women in the Trades Scholarship for the upcoming fall semester. Each will receive a $1,500 scholarship for demonstrating outstanding work, experience and passion for their chosen service trades industry. To date the WITT program has awarded more than $40,500 to 27 scholarship recipients.

“What I experienced on the frontlines across our service brands in front of millions of TV viewers forever changed my perspective about the opportunities that exist for women in the service trades,” said Dwyer-Owens, who now serves as co-chair of Dwyer Group. “The opportunities are endless. And twice a year, WITT scholarship recipients reinforce that desire for ways to advance in the profession. The three women who have received our latest Women in the Trades scholarships are an inspiration to us all at Dwyer Group.”

Funded by Dwyer Group since 2012, the Women in the Trades (WITT) initiative is one of the most recognizable efforts to educate and promote the hiring of women for traditionally male-dominated roles in the trades industry. The scholarships are available to women working towards a career in the trades, to students studying for a career in the trades, or to front-line female employees at franchise locations for any of Dwyer Group’s service brands.

The 2017 WITT fall recipients are:

• Brenda Hart of Dacono, Co.;
• Karen Dahlin of Minneapolis, Minn.; and
• Yolanda Rodriguez of Crest Hill, Ill.

Rodriguez and Dahlin are working towards careers in HVAC, and Hart is working towards a career in appliance repair.     

“There are so many opportunities for women to be successful in the service industry,” said Dwyer-Owens. “The need for more skilled tradespeople has grown tremendously and we are confident that with the support of the WITT scholarships, these women can make great strides within the trade industry of their choice.”

The WITT scholarship is open to women 18 and older interested in pursuing a career in the trades and covers tuition, books, travel and/or fees. Funds can be applied to any accredited trade or technical school or certification program in the U.S. or Canada for any of seven specialties, including: HVAC, plumbing, electrical repair, glass repair and replacement, appliance repair, restoration, painting, landscaping, residential cleaning or handyman services.

Candidates will be evaluated based upon financial needs, previous work experience and their passion for their chosen industry. For more information and to apply visit: http://www.dwyergroup.com/women-in-trades.asp or email WITT@dwyergroup.com. 

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