Israel Simmons Thorne also won a $4,000 scholarship to start his own 501c3 called The Neighborhood Toolbox.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Women are making more inroads into construction, a field that has traditionally been dominated by men. One woman is already on her way to success right in our own backyard.
Israel Simmons Thorne is a first-generation Trinidadian American who graduated from Midlands Institute of Technology last fall.
She earned a degree in Architectural Construction Technology. Simmons-Thorne said she was one of three women in a class of 15 men, but that didn't stop her from pursuing success. .
“I was one of the only women in my class, and I thought this was a great field for other women to join because it's such a broad industry,” Simmons-Thorne said.
South Carolina's construction industry is 18.5% female and 81.5% male, with more than 1,000 job openings as of February, according to data from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
Simmons-Thorne said her mother inspired her to pursue a degree in this field.
“She's a really great person and a really strong person,” Simmons-Thorne said. “She's always been very supportive, so when I told her I wanted to change her major to something more physical and work-intensive, she went along with it.”
“I think one of the things I taught her was to have the strength and knowledge to compete with men,” said Israel's mother, Natalie Thorne-Forest. Told.
Simmons-Thorne not only graduated, but also won a $4,000 scholarship toward her degree, becoming one of 50 recipients in the United States to start her own nonprofit organization, The Neighborhood Toolbox. Did.
“We work with various trade unions and various small and medium-sized enterprises to raise awareness of the skilled trades industry. We also provide hands-on activities that children, adults and teenagers can participate in. We host workshops where you can do that,” Simmons said. Thorne said.
Simmons-Thorne added that she hopes to continue to inspire others.
“Young women, you can do anything,” she said.
Now that she has graduated, Simmons-Thorne plans to expand her nonprofit and continue her education. However, she is still looking for her job.
