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, Ohio.
The goal? To spark interest in a future career in the trucking industry among young people.
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 in addition to children of AIM Transportation employees, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of about 50 young girls and boys.
Participants explored a variety of trucking opportunities, including 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,” said Jenny Fall, WIT’s 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 also 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,” she continued. “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.”
Fall says Aim Transportation Solutions was instrumental to the success of this event by hosting it at their headquarters in Girard, Ohio. 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,” said Trisha Mosser, who is 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,” Mosser continued. “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!”
WIT’s history with the Girl Scouts of America
According to Fall, WIT has worked with local Girl Scout councils for years. The association has historically teamed up with the Girl Scouts to offer fun-filled events that allow 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, more than 1,500 girls have earned the WIT patch.
This story originally appeared on the Women In Trucking Association’s blog.
Brian Everett is the group publisher and editorial director of Redefining the Road, the official magazine of the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). He is heavily involved in strategic counsel for WIT and managing the association’s annual Accelerate! Conference & Expo.
Everett has a reputation as the “go-to guy” for marketing in the transportation and logistics industry. That’s because he has more than 30 years marketing, communications, and sales experience in transportation, warehousing, and logistics, with a special expertise in business strategy, B-to-B marketing, and association management. He also is senior partner of MindShare Strategies. Everett regularly provides marketing counsel to the firm’s key accounts. He is particularly well-connected to shippers as the former Executive Director of the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC) and is the group publisher and editorial director for Food Chain Digest and Food For Thought, the official magazine and member e-newsletter, respectively, of Food Shippers of America.
Everett also was Director of Marketing for C.H. Robinson for 10 years, and helped transform this low-profile company to one of the world’s most widely known brands in the third-party logistics market when it went public in 1998. He also was CEO of the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) for approximately 20 years, and has provided counsel in business strategy, marketing and sales for leading companies in MindShare Strategies’ client portfolio, including Saddle Creek Logistics Services, the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), LeSaint Logistics/TAGG Logistics, RWI Logistics/RWI Transportation (part of the Castellini Group of Companies), Satellite Logistics Group, UPS, Line Drive Trucking, and H&M International Transportation, to name a few.
Everett has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Business Communications at the international, regional, and local chapter levels; on the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Twin Cities Roundtable; and was the Chairman of the Transportation Track for a recent Warehousing Education Research Council (WERC) annual conference. In fact, in recognition of his career experiences and passion for industry involvement, Everett was named the youngest recipient of TMSA’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
