Celebrating Career and Technical Education Month: Meet Leah
By: Jillian Scannell, VWW Engagement Manager
Vermont Works for Women is celebrating Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month this February by highlighting young women excelling at their local tech center in programs that are non-traditional for their gender. Check out the other features of Aubrianna and Jael.
Leah Jourdan is currently a junior in the Electrical Technology program at Green Mountain Technology and Career Center (GMTCC) in Hyde Park, Vermont. GMTCC’s Electrical program provides students with technical training in all phases of residential and commercial electrical wiring.
For Leah, going into the electrical trade at GMTCC was an easy choice. Leah’s father and grandfather are electricians, so she grew up being a part of it. Her dad was also the teacher of the electrical program for a while, so she knew about it before enrolling. “A few summers ago, I started working for my dad, and it really got me interested in it [electrical], so I decided to go into the CTE program”.
Leah’s favorite part about the Electrical program is the support she gets from her team. As one of only two girls in her class, she had worried her male classmates might ostracize her, but they’ve welcomed her in and made her feel a part of the team.
Her proudest moment: “When we’re out in our labs [hands-on practice sessions] and I’m able to put down the amount of knowledge that I have.” Coming into the program, Leah already knew a lot, but she’s been able to gain so much more knowledge on how to fix something, solve a problem, and then wire it up.
In year two of the electrical program next year, Leah will take part in GMTCC’s Cooperative Education Program, or Co-op. Co-op connects students with local businesses, allowing them to practice the knowledge and skills learned in their program with real-world experience and training. Leah will work Monday through Thursday with her father at his electrical business as an apprentice and continue taking classes on Fridays.
Looking towards the future, Leah plans to keep working with her dad after graduation, hopefully taking over the family business someday.
When asked what advice she had for current and future CTE students, especially young women, Leah said, “Have a really strong mindset. It can be hard out there in the trades, but if you have a really strong mindset, you can do ANYTHING.”