RICHLAND, Wash. – A Richland student was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) and the Washington Home Builders Foundation to pursue a degree in project management.
Breann Briggs, a graduate of Kamiakin High School and current student at Columbia Basin College, received the scholarship.
“A lifetime working in construction as a female has been about constantly having to prove myself more than others in the industry,” Briggs said. “This scholarship means more than just help toward getting a degree. It means showing my daughter how important it is to push on despite the doubts of others, and that women can do anything men can do in school and the workplace.”
Briggs has previously worked for her family’s construction company since graduating with an associate degree in 2012. She plans to get a bachelor’s degree in project management and take on her father’s company.
The scholarship is part of an effort by BIAW and the Washington Home Builders Foundation to provide nearly $80,000 in scholarships and grants to 16 students and 13 construction trades programs across Washington.
“The residential building industry needs 723,000 new construction workers each year to meet our nation’s current demand,” said BIAW President Gary Wray. “Investing in our future workforce is crucial, and we are so proud of these students and programs for stepping up to fill such an important need.”
