On Tuesday, Aug. 27, American Standard, part of LIXIL Americas, will host a group of industrious female campers (girls ranging 6-16 in age) from Tools & Tiaras, an organization dedicated to advancing the interest of young girls and women who want to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated trade professions. Through workshops and camps, Tools & Tiaras' mission is to change the way society views and portrays what constitutes "women work." The alignment of the two organizations is part of LIXIL's TradeUp effort, a program created to help shrink the growing skilled labor gap in the United States by supporting programs that inspire more people to pursue plumbing as a viable career option.

"We are committed to making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work," said Debbie Drury, director of public affairs, LIXIL. "Knowing that plumbers protect the health of the nation, yet the number of people entering plumbing and trade crafts is on a steady decline, we believe it is our duty to support programs that encourage the pursuit of plumbing as a profession. It is particularly exciting to be partnering with Tools & Tiaras, whose purpose is to empower ambitious and determined young women to knock down the social barrier of entering these trade professions."

"Jobs don't have genders," said Judaline Cassidy, founder of Tools & Tiaras and a union plumber by profession. Presently, women represent less than 10 percent of workers in the building trades. "It is through our sponsors like LIXIL, that Tools & Tiaras can fulfill its vision to expose as many young women as possible to trade professions. I want them to know that professions like mine are not only normal but accepted and critically needed in the future as plumbers are vital to the health and prosperity of our communities," said Cassidy.

The day will begin with a hands-on plumbing workshop led by Cassidy, where the girls will get to actively participate in a toilet bowl installation. It will be followed by a tour to provide a behind the scenes look at the research and development, plumbing innovations, and in-depth look at product functionality. This educational opportunity allows the campers to see the research and technology that goes into modern day innovative plumbing and a variety of plumbing-related activities.

More information on Tools & Tiaras can be found at www.toolsandtiaras.org.