March 20, 2025
Ferris State welcomes 60 girls to Jill of All Trades event – an opportunity to explore career opportunities in skilled trades and STEM fields
Ferris State University put its skilled trades and STEM academic programs on center stage for 60 high school students eager to explore career opportunities through the Jill of All Trades program.
Kate O’Connor, dean of Ferris State’s College of Engineering Technology, fired up the crowd of girls, educators, and industry representatives attending a program that started in the David L. Eisler Center before the girls moved around campus to visit academic program labs for hands-on opportunities in the different fields including welding and automotive technology.
“Jill of All Trades matters for these girls because it gives them opportunities they might never have considered,” O’Connor said. “What these girls will experience at this event may resonate with them. That is what today is about. This program coming to Ferris is all about these girls and offering opportunities for them.”
O’Connor said Jill of All Trades shows future generations of girls and women what is possible, but it also adds value for society by bringing women into these fields.
Girls from Big Rapids High School, Morley Stanwood High School, the Genesee Career Institute, the Ionia County Career Center and Grand Rapids were among students attending Jill of All Trades.
“This is an incredible event spearheaded by the dean of the College of Engineering Technology, Kate O’Connor,” said Bobby Fleischman, Ferris State’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “It provides information at a very young age to young women, girls looking to make careers for themselves to have good lives.”
Fleischman pointed out that the event is about long-range opportunities for the attending girls, “Jill of All Trades creates pathways for these young people, and it’s just fantastic. It’s a wonderful opportunity, and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Jill of All Trades is an international program focusing on expanded awareness of the opportunities for women in professional trades careers. The organization was founded by Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Ontario in 2014 and has worked with colleges and universities across Canada and the United States.
Among the Ferris State College of Engineering Technology’s featured programs at Jill of All Trades were Automotive Engineering Technology, Heavy Equipment Service Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Plastics Engineering Technology, Surveying Engineering and Welding Engineering Technology.
The event was an eye-opener for attendees.
“I’m in Genesee Career Institute’s construction program. I have an interest in architecture, and construction seems the most beneficial,” said Amelia Greer, a Grand Blanc High School senior. “I want to get more knowledge about the trade and industry.”
Macie Greenway, a junior from Big Rapids High School, saw an opportunity to explore opportunities.
“I want to be a vet tech, but I like doing things with my hands and being outside,” she said. “Vet tech is a lot of schooling and sitting in a classroom. I want to know what my options are and maybe find something I’ve never considered before.”
For some students who are firmer in where they see their careers headed, Jill of All Trades helped sharpen that focus.
“I’m in welding, and it seemed like a fun opportunity to learn more about the training and what kind of field or jobs I can get after high school,” said Amelia Bluhm, a Grand Blanc High School senior.
Bringing Jill of All Trades to Ferris State was a winner, according to one of the organizers, Ashley Hawley, Ferris State’s Career and Technical Education coordinator.
“We are the first college in Michigan to host Jill of All Trades,” she said. “It started in Canada, and we really feel like this is showcasing what Ferris State has to offer women interested in careers in technology.”