Retail Observer

MAY 2020 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 57 around the house, including the water heater and plumbing. But to her dismay, she wasn't able to get more deeply immersed in her "build and fix" passion because in the 1970s girls weren't encouraged to take shop class. So a career in construction wasn't on Gamble-Gurnell's radar because it was perceived as a "man's job." She recalls how the stars aligned at a hair salon in 2014 when her stylist told her about a shop teacher position. Within a week, she received an offer to teach construction at a Texas high school. She also decided to pursue certification in Career and Technical Education to become a building and construction instructor. Gamble-Gurnell attributes her strong rapport with her students to her fun, interactive approach to learning – because, she says "When you're on a construction site, you're constantly moving around and working with other people." Yet she was frustrated by tight budgets that barely covered the maintenance on the old, kludgy classroom tools and machines. In 2019, Tami decided to step away from the classroom and become an advocate for construction industry education. Calling herself "The Girly Shop Teacher," she partners with construction companies to guest-teach hands-on classes that offer youth the hard and soft skills that will prepare them for successful careers. EBONY STEPHENSON: LEGOS AND BARBIE DOLLS PAVED A PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL DESIGN CAREER Ebony Stephenson, CAPS, also found her passion for design as a young girl, attributing it to playing with Legos and Barbie dolls. She asked her parents for a new Barbie "Dream House," and when they said no, she took an empty cardboard box and built her own. That was the day she knew she wanted to be involved in design and construction. By fourth grade Stephenson was spending half her time in regular school and the other half at an art school where she studied architecture. In high school she spent half her studies at a vocational school. She then enrolled at Virginia Tech, an accredited NKBA institution, where she studied urban planning and land- scape architecture, as well as kitchen and bath design. After Stephenson was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue in college, she realized her dorm bathrooms didn't have shower grab bars or comfort-height toilets. This awareness inspired her to shift her studies full-time into kitchen and bath, concentrating on design for aging in place, and for people with disabilities, to help others enjoy a safe, independent lifestyle. After college, Stephenson worked as an architectural designer and kitchen and bath showroom manager. With her medical condition, however, the long hours began to take a toll, and she decided to put her health first and start her own business, Designs By Ebony. "As a business owner, I make my own hours and do the work in the comfort of my home office. I also get to choose the talented people I want to work with," she says. "The perception of the design and construction industry is that you won't make a lot of money. When I went out on my own, I had the power to pick my ideal projects, and also the power to say 'no.' Believe it or not, this approach tripled my project workload! " Stephenson currently mentors young women in high school and college, inviting them to shadow her when she's on a construction site or at a showroom. Stephenson, who has her CAPS certification, emphasizes how important education is in this industry, where the technology is constantly evolving. She also emphasizes that continuing education is critical because it keeps professionals on top of their game – she plans to pursue CLIPP certification this year. DANIELLE BOHN: SERENDIPITY LAUNCHES A QUEST TO A CAREER IN INTERIOR DESIGN Danielle Bohn, CMKBD, describes her entry into the design industry as "serendipitous." Danielle initially wanted to attend art college to pursue a degree in education. But around the time she realized that teaching art might not be a good fit for, she met an interior designer at a friend's house. When she began visualizing the space, the designer exclaimed: "You really should do interior design!" Danielle acknowledges NKBA as the foundation for her career in the kitchen and bath industry. She received her first summer internship in Anchorage, Alaska with Hollie Ruocco, CMKBD, after participating in a student NKBA interior design organization at her college. Ruocco eventually offered Danielle a full-time job, and she credits Ruocco with inspiring her deepening involvement with the NKBA chapter in Anchorage, and for encouraging her to pursue CMKBD certification. "Continuing education is so important because it allows you to hone your skills as your craft evolves. It also shows your clients and peers the level of knowledge, experience and professionalism that's under your belt," says Bohn. "If you don't continue to thirst for knowledge, you'll become stagnant – constant learning is how you become better." As the NKBA aims to recruit and empower desperately needed talent to fill the overabundance of jobs in this industry, it's stories like these that demonstrate how important young girls are as an essential component of the next generation of design and construction pros. RO

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