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Central Texas Spotlight: Neighborly helps women get into trade professions

The service based franchise company Neighborly created a Women in Trades Scholarship to help women excel in the trade industry.

WACO, Texas — A company based in Waco is doing its part to help women break into trade professions. 

Neighborly's mission is a simple one: Teach people personal and business success to help them live happier and more successful lives.

"Most women don't grow up thinking they want to be a plumber or electrician, and I thought what an opportunity for them," brand ambassador Dina Dwyer-Owens said

The service based franchise company created a Women in Trades Scholarship to help women excel in the trade industry.

The $1,500 scholarship can be used at any accredited trade school specializing in plumbing, electrical work, landscaping or other careers. 

Owens said it's important for women to have a seat at the table in every industry. 

"The best form of charity is creating jobs," she said. "And I can't think of a better way to give back to our community, to our nation, to our world than helping women get introduced to fields that they've never considered." 

Owens said she started the scholarship after her experience on the TV show "Undercover Boss," where she assumed the identity of a trainee looking to become a service technician with one of the company's franchises. 

She said the experience encouraged her to give back.

"647 women to be exact in the first two weeks, after the airing of the episode reached out to us to say 'how do I do what she does?'" she said. "They were so impressed with what she was doing and had that desire but never really knew how to go there." 

Forty-five women have received the scholarship so far, and Neighborly is hoping to award many more.

"I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today if it wasn't for so many women who led the way for me and were kind enough to mention me in the process," Owens said. 

For information on how to apply for the scholarship, follow this link. 

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