Young adults, including myself, don't know how to do some things that would save us money in the future. You know, things that everyone from our parents generation and back relied on. Our knowledge of construction and how to use power tools and actually fix things instead of throwing them away is very minimal compared to generations previous to ours.

Many struggle to even read a ruler, or take ten swings to drive a nail into a board. Our generation is much more focused on media but a local team of dedicated companies are taking their time to start a construction camp, specifically for girls. The camps would teach them a little bit of everything.

At Lehigh Valley’s first Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls, teenagers are finding out what it’s like to explore the architecture, engineering and construction fields with hands-on experience. In a week long camp, 20 girls ages 14-18 were offered the chance to learn about carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing and other trades, by tackling the work through guided instruction.

At the beginning of the camp, the girl's skills ranged from technical school students to beginners having never held a hammer. The week-long camp is free for the girls and underwritten entirely by the construction industry. A lot of support came from local companies who donated funds, tools and products.

The girls took field trips to local companies such as a Lehigh cement factory, ATAS International roofing and siding, Emmaus High School's student-built projects, and MKSD Architects. At the end of the week each girl also left with their very own tool bag full of tools they learned how to use and knowledge to use throughout their life.

Making camps like this widespread and for all ages and genders could help instill the knowledge many millennials, and even older generations, don't have or missed out on learning. Though it wouldn't make anyone a master of all things construction, it could help a lot more people save money in the future by not having to call a professional to fix your leaky sink or small hole in your wall.