The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) recently teamed up with AIM Transportation Solutions to host an engaging, hands-on event at AIM’s headquarters in Girard, OH. The goal? To spark interest in a future career in the trucking industry among young people.
Girls climb into a tractor to explore the experience of “life behind the wheel.”
The thinking behind this event was clear: it’s never too early for kids to picture themselves in the driver’s seat or in any of the many other career paths the trucking industry has to offer.
The event, which took place June 24, welcomed area Girl Scout troops along with AIM Transportation employees’ children, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of about 50 young girls and boys. Participants explored a variety of trucking opportunities, with a highlight being WIT’s signature WITney® Educational Trailer. Inside, kids experienced an interactive journey through the industry, while a simulator gave them a chance to test their “driving” skills. By offering an up-close look at technology, equipment, and the diverse roles within trucking, WIT and AIM are helping to shape the next generation’s perception of the industry—and planting the seed for future careers on and off the road.
“This event was truly a framework for success,” says Jenny Fall, WIT Director of Driver Engagement. “Since planning began, the coordinators were full of energy and excitement about sharing careers in trucking with the young people in their community. By opening the program to not only the Girl Scouts – but the children of employees of AIM Transportation – so many others got to experience the activities and try out the driving simulator. Testing their skills on the road. I always enjoy seeing the reaction from the kids – as they start thinking that trucking might be a pretty cool thing to be a part of.” The driving simulator in the WITney® Educational Trailer was recently enhanced through the support of sponsor ATS.
Fall notes that Aim Transportation Solutions was instrumental to the success of this event given they hosted it at their headquarters in Girard, OH. An industry leader in full-service truck leasing, Aim Transportation is comprised of three companies and has operations in 16 states across the U.S.
"Aim is constantly seeking new ways to educate the next generation about the exciting opportunities within the trucking industry and the trades overall,” says Trisha Mosser, Business Development Manager for Aim Transportation and one of the event coordinators. “My primary goal was to present information to my Girl Scout Troop to help them see trucking as a real, rewarding career path. What started as a small initiative quickly grew with the involvement of Aim employees and their children. Now, we have an entire group of young people inspired by how fun and empowering it can be to get behind the wheel of a truck. Mission accomplished!"
Fall points out that WIT has been working with local Girl Scout councils for years.
WIT has historically teamed up with the Girl Scouts to offer a fun-filled event for young girls to learn about the trucking industry and earn a patch. Girl Scout Patch Program events typically are hosted by Corporate members of WIT, such as Aim Transportation, and their local Girl Scout council. As part of the program, the girls typically are able to participate in fun, hands-on activities related to supply chain and hear from women leaders in the industry. They also can explore the WITney® Educational Trailer, a traveling billboard for WIT which features an array of educational and interactive components.
The objective of the program is to educate young girls about the exciting career opportunities in the trucking industry as well as safety around big trucks. These “Trucks are for Girls” events have taken place all over the U.S. and Canada. The very first event took place in October, 2014. Since then, over 1,500 girls have earned their WIT patch.
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