If you are building or remodeling a home, chances are better than ever that women will do some of the work! Today's tight job market, combined with an increasing number of single parent households, is resulting in more and more women seeking careers in higher paying fields that were once almost exclusively men's domains. And the producers of the upcoming Womens Home Expo™ are helping to make their dreams a reality.

One dollar of every paid admission to this year's Womens Home Expo™ will be contributed to WomenVenture, an organization that helps women fulfill their career dreams. The event, produced by Mid-America Events & Expos, Inc., will be held November 12-14, 2004 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Expo exhibitor Cynthia Anderson knows first hand the benefits of turning to WomenVenture. As owner of Style & Structure Design and Build, her unconventional career choice is indicative of the type of women who walk through the organization's doors.

WomenVenture's Jobs In The Trades (JITT) program prepares women to obtain and retain jobs in the construction industry. Many women who complete JITT training successfully move from welfare to work. In fact, many women double their earning potential.

In addition to hands-on manual skills training and on-site work experience, the five-week JITT curriculum also includes training in financial management, personal empowerment, math, conflict resolution and other skills essential to working in this high-paying field. WomenVenture works with all JITT graduates to find and retain a good-paying job in their chosen field. New in 2004 is WomenVenture's Job Advancement Retention Program for women already working in the trades

Women who dream of starting their own businesses can also go through WomenVenture to meet one-on-one with a business consultant, attend the organization's popular Planning to Succeed workshops, or develop their business while working part-time. Loans are available to those who qualify.

Anderson, the owner of Style & Structure Design and Build (booth 414), is a mother of four and registered nurse who became a widow at age 40. "After caring for my husband for more than a year, he lost his battle with cancer and I was faced with some pretty tough decisions," she remembers. Anderson's husband Steve had been in the remodeling and construction business for about 10 years, and was operating his own company when he died. "I prayed and thought about what to do. I came up with the decision to reorganize the company and carry on the business."

Anderson received a small business loan from WomenVenture and help with her business plan. "It hasn't been easy, but Style & Structure Design and Build, Inc. has been growing." The company recently opened a new office on Grand Avenue in St. Paul that includes a selection center for everything from countertops to lighting. Anderson says that her female perspective is an asset to her contracting business because she can use her artistic side to help with product selection, paint colors, etc. She also credits her organizational skills for helping the business succeed.

To learn more about WomenVenture, or to contribute or volunteer, call 651-646-3808 or visit www.womenventure.org.

This year's Womens Home Expo™ is sponsored by FM 107, TLC's While You Were Out, KSTP TV, Sea Dreams, Benjamin Moore Paints, SimonDelivers, KSTC 45 TV, GolfGreens of Minnesota, Lincoln Mercury and Stressfree Living. Discount tickets are available at www.101expos.com.

Show hours are November 12 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., November 13 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and November 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 with the half price coupon available on the Web site (www.101expos.com), and free to kids 17 and under when accompanied by an adult.

The Womens Home Expo™ is produced by Mid-America Events & Expos, Inc. which also produces the Body Mind Life Expo™, the Seniors Spring Show™ and the Seniors Expo™.

Media note: For further information, or to schedule an interview with a WomenVenture spokesperson, contact Media Relations at 612-798-7220.

For Viewers or listeners: More information on the Womens Home Expo™ can be found at www.101expos.com or call the Expo hotline at 612-798-7256.