“Watch me break the rules!” Alissa exclaims as she lists her many skills and interests, including welding and martial arts. Alissa Kenwood The ‘rules’ she’s referring to are the rules that society defines for women and girls about what they can and can’t do, and Alissa has… Read More

Hello!I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to follow in Jen’s footsteps and serve as the new Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women. From the moment I learned of VWW, I was ignited by the ambitious mission, successful programs, and the leading role VWW plays… Read More

Every Friday, Heather Newcomb, Work Readiness Program Manager at VWW, leads skill-building classes for women who are incarcerated at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility (CRCF). Last week, participants learned about Mike Bayer’s #BestSelfChallenge, a fun and easy exercise in which you define your Best Self (all of the positive attributes and qualities that make up the core of who you are; i.e.- compassionate, brave, loyal, loving, creative) and your Anti Self (your inner critic, that provokes you and that gets in the way of your Best Self by focusing on negative qualities; i.e.- fearful, doubtful, anxious, angry), in a side-by-side drawing. Read More

Having more scientifically trained people in Vermont, no matter what career pathway they take, is incredibly important for our state’s economic future. Read More

In our eyes, Danielle Bombardier has accomplished the VWW vision: she made a fearless commitment to pursuing her dreams to become an electrician, despite being a field where women are under-represented. When we first interviewed Danielle in 2016 she was on the verge of completing a five-year-long apprenticeship to become an electrician. Three years later, the former participant is now a driving force behind... Read More

Vermont Works for Women (VWW) is actively recruiting participants for its Trailblazers: Women in the Construction Trades program, designed to prepare women for jobs and apprenticeships in high-demand, high-paying sectors, including construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and others. Along with technical skills, the program exposes participants to the range of employers and jobs available with these skills, as well as provides mentoring and networking opportunities with women working in these sectors. Read More

Sara Lestage is proud that IBM supports Women Can Do because she believes that one positive interaction with a role model or event can help students decide on a career path. Read More

Vermont Works for Women (VWW) has been awarded $350,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau to expand women’s access to training, apprenticeships, and jobs in the electrical, plumbing, and construction fields. “There are great jobs for women in the trades that don’t require a college degree and can provide life-long financial stability,” says Jen Oldham, Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women. Read More

Nine years ago, Keiko moved to Vermont and began working as a bookkeeper in Richmond one day a week. While she liked the position, the hours were not enough for Keiko to earn a livable wage. “I wanted to work more,” she says, “I was looking for a new job… Read More

Skilled construction trades are in high demand and the need is great. Read More