[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 7 (Monday, January 22, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E49]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

                                 ______


                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 22, 1996

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the National 
Association of Women in Construction [NAWIC]. NAWIC is celebrating its 
35th anniversary this year and the celebration will be hosted by the 
Greater Alameda County Chapter of NAWIC in Oakland, CA.
  The NAWIC is an international association of women employed in the 
construction industry. Its mission is to promote the construction 
industry and support the advancement of women within it. NAWIC does 
this by uniting women who are actively employed in the various phases 
of the construction industry, by promoting cooperation, fellowship, and 
a better understanding among members of the association, by encouraging 
women to pursue and establish careers in the construction industry, and 
by providing members with an awareness of the legislative process and 
legislation as it relates to the construction industry.
  In 1953, 16 women organized Women In Construction [WIC] in Forth 
Worth, TX, to support women who were employed in the construction 
industry, a traditionally male-dominated field. In 1955, WIC gained its 
national charter and became NAWIC. Since its founding, NAWIC has grown 
to a membership of more than 200 chapters in 47 States and three 
Canadian provinces.
  The NAWIC is made up of women who hold jobs in architecture, general 
construction, subcontracting, material supplying, construction 
engineering, construction news services, and construction trade 
associations. NAWIC is the organization that ties the women who work in 
all of these phases of the construction industry together. NAWIC offers 
programs and seminars to its members to keep them up to date on issues 
of importance to the industry. They share the latest industry trends 
and information through meetings, the monthly bulletin, roundtable 
discussions, and networking. They also provide a no-charge occupational 
referral placement which places 30 to 40 people in construction and 
construction-related jobs each year and a clearinghouse for bidding and 
employment information issued by other associations, public work 
agencies, and unions.
  NAWIC also has a strong commitment to the community. In 1972, the 
NAWIC Education Foundation was established to educate the community 
about the importance of the construction industry. Each year, the 
foundation sponsors competitions that are created to foster and promote 
construction as a viable career choice among young adults. In 1963, 
NAWIC established its Founders Scholarship Foundation, and in the past 
5 years alone, has awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships to both 
male and female students pursuing construction-related studies.
  In its nearly 40 years of service to its members, NAWIC has advanced 
the causes of all women in construction, women whose careers range from 
the skilled trades to architecture to business ownership. Mr. Speaker, 
I hope you and my colleagues will join me in recognizing the 35th 
anniversary of the National Association of Women in Construction and 
congratulating the membership on their achievements.

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