SALISBURY — For this month’s Power in Partnership breakfast, the Rowan Chamber of Commerce had Rowan County native and the founder of Hope Renovations, Nora Spencer come to Trinity Oaks on Oct. 19 to speak to members on what her company is doing for women in the construction industry. It turns out this speaking engagement was a long time coming for Spencer.

“I remember when I was in high school, I was in a scholarship interview and they asked me what one of my goals was for when I grew up and I had a professional career and I said one of my goals was to come back and do some speaking in my hometown. I’ve finally been able to do that,” Spencer said.

Hope Renovations is a nonprofit that helps women gain employment in the construction industry. After growing up assisting her father with projects around the house and doing the repairs herself on the first home she and her husband bought, Spencer was inspired to quit her corporate job, obtain her master’s in social work, and start Hope Renovations. Spencer hadn’t noticed too many women working construction and she was seeking to fix that.

“We already have a population that’s out there that is ready to work, they just haven’t been invited into the industry and I am an example of that,” Spencer said. “Women, I believe, are the next generation of the construction workforce and there’s a lot of opportunity there.”

The women who sign up for this program come from low-wage backgrounds, underserved demographics, recovery programs, are getting out of the criminal justice system or just want a fresh start. The 12-week program is free and includes a living stipend for those taking part. The participant’s ages range from 20 to 62.

Hope Renovations offers skills training, barrier reduction and career development. The beginning of the program is about teaching women how to use power tools and learning other information. Barrier reduction is where Spencer utilizes her social work degree by making sure any women who are going through mental health struggles or substance abuse are being taken care of.

“We’re able to connect them to resources in the community while they’re in our program, so that when they get out, they can actually be the best employees they can be,” Spencer said.

The career development aspect involves having people talk on the realities of the industry, going over conflict management, conducting mock interviews and giving resumé tips. These go a long way when trying to get women hired for the kind of jobs they are being trained for. The positions Hope Renovations prepares them for goes beyond construction, women have also become selection coordinators or project managers thanks to their guidance.

“We do all of these things because coming into an industry where you may or may not typically be welcome, you really do have to set yourself apart. As women, we experience this in a lot of the industries that we’re in, particularly the male-dominated ones, and this how they set themselves apart,” Spencer said.

The kind of ventures Hope Renovations usually does is for senior citizens who want to age in place in their own home so they do not have to go to a nursing home. Spencer became passionate about aging in place when she found out about its benefits while in grad school. Her team tends to install grab bars, ramps, porches and does plenty of bathroom remodels. They do their work based on a sliding scale, where they can use the revenue for their market-priced projects to complete construction for their low-income customers.

Spencer said that Hope Renovations will soon be expanding to Wake Tech and Durham Tech community colleges in the spring of 2024. They have received a two-year grant from the Department of Labor to fund this massive step for the company.

“It’ll be a test to see if it is something that we can make happen, hopefully one day, all across the state and certainly in Rowan County,” Spencer said.

Hope Renovations is giving back in a special way that breeds chances for women to form brand-new lives for themselves. Thanks to them, how people perceive construction workers could change over time.

“This is needed everywhere, women need these opportunities, seniors need this work in their homes, and God knows the construction industry needs people all over this country,” Spencer said.