Today is International Women’s Day, and it’s a wonderful time to celebrate women. What began so many decades ago as a movement for equal rights and suffrage in countries around the world is today an annual chance to honor and celebrate all that women have achieved and also communicate and educate about so much more than can be done.

This year’s theme is “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030.” It’s a fantastic reminder to me of the many roles that women are filling in the changing world of the service trades. And it’s a topic that is close to my heart as I talk about the Women In The Trades Program (WITT) at Dwyer Group which seeks to do even more. That’s because, as we’ve seen in our industry, only four percent of jobs in the service trades are filled by women. However, the industry continues to grow, demand for skilled workers continues to increase, and the message for a satisfying and financially rewarding career path is begging for attention. It’s a message more women need to hear.

School is a great place to be bold for change

One aspect of our WITT program is geared towards education. Twice a year, the WITT program awards scholarships to women for educational opportunities in the service trades. It was launched after I appeared in "Undercover Boss" and enjoyed working alongside a female service professional who symbolized the huge untapped pool of talent that existed for our franchise owners’ current and future workforce needs.

And here we are, five years later, and the scholarship program continues to grow. My goal is to expand this program every year, award more scholarships to women who are drawn to the service trades, and communicate to women across the country and around the world about the incredible career paths that exist for them not only at Dwyer Group, but also in the industry at-large.

As we take time to discuss International Women’s Day, I hope many of my friends and colleagues will also discuss the changing world of work that is happening in the service trades at Dwyer Group too.

Our next scholarship application deadline is March 31st, and women can apply HERE.

It could be the beginning of endless opportunities to come. I know it, because I’ve seen it in female franchise owners across Dwyer Group service brands, with females on the Dwyer Group leadership team, and even with women serving at the highest levels for the franchising industry as a whole at the International Franchise Association.

Our changing world of work is already here, and I applaud the women who are part of that change.