Utah DOT hosts a transportation summit for middle school girls

Updated Jun 8, 2015
A group of girls receive instruction during the summit.A group of girls receive instruction during the summit.

The Utah Department of Transportation is trying to get more young women to consider the transportation industry as a potential career choice.

With that aim, the department recently hosted a transportation summit for 53 middle school girls from across Salt Lake County, Fox 13 in Salt Lake City reported.

The summit had professionals from across the transportation industry share their knowledge with the students. They were taught how to repair tires, fix bikes and use Shop-Vacs to locate underground utilities. The summit also gave the girls in attendance a chance to learn more about how roads and bridges are actually built.

It was the third edition of the summit, and it has helped to spark an interest in some female students like Angie Gamarra.

“I like construction, I like the foundation it sets and I like how, simply, it takes lots of people and lots of thoughts and minds to make this, to make the project successful,” the ninth grade Salt Lake Center for Science Education said. “I feel that teamwork is very essential and communication is very essential, and it just puts forth the many skills that we have.”