Promoting Women in Skilled Trades Activities to Encourage

Promoting Women in Skilled Trades - Activities to Encourage Non-Traditional Careers Introductions • Brenda Gilmore, Chair, Technology, Trades and Apprenticeship Conestoga College • Rosie Hessian, Chair Community Outreach, Pathways and Youth Engagement – Conestoga College • Mark Roth, Pathways Coordinator, Avon Maitland DSB, RPT 7

Promoting Women in Skilled Trades Activities to Encourage Non-Traditional Careers “Join us in exploring activities to encourage young women to choose non-traditional careers in skilled trades. ”

Stats… • • • Gender stereo type- social pressure in high school or younger to choose female oriented careers Discrimination- women are passed over for hiring, raises and promos Home responsibilities- childcare (4) Harassment- 9/10 women working in the constructions industry experience bullying or sexual harassment (3) Poverty- 1. 5 million women are considered low income in Canada and are not able to afford skills training and pay for food and rent (2)

Stats… • Women make up 48% of the Canadian workforce, however, women account for only 4. 5%of skilled trades workers in Canada! • The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (2015). The competitive advantage: A business case for hiring women in the skilled trades and technical professions. The Government of Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from http: //www. swc-cfc. gc. ca/rccr/bc-cb/index-en. html 2 The Canadian Women’s Foundation (2017). Fact sheet: Women and poverty in Canada. Canadian Women’s Foundation. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from http: //www. canadianwomen. org/sites/canadianwomen. org/files//Fact%20 Sheet%20%20 WOMEN%20%26%20 POVERTY%20 -%20 February%202017. pdf 3 Elmer, V. (2014, June 11). Report: Women still face barriers in construction trades. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from https: //www. washingtonpost. com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/06/11/report-women-still-face-barriers-inconstruction-trades/? utm_term=. bd 565100205 a 4 Lebowitz, S. (2015, October 1). Women are less likely to get promoted. Business Insider. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from http: //www. businessinsider. com/women-are-less-likely-to-get-promoted-2015 -10 • • •

Barriers… • Attitudes… “Oh you are too smart for that” • Perceptions… “dirty job” • Awareness…”You do not need to be good at math to go into the trades” • Experience… “Oh, why do you want to do that, isn’t that a guy’s job” • Confidence… “I can’t do this”

… we can do something about this Females Grades 7 to 12 ( or earlier) • Encourage interest in the trades • Schools to support skilled trades for women • Introduce skilled trades opportunities in a safe environment • Women supporting women in the trades (mentors)

Activities to encourage young women to choose non Traditional careers in Skilled Trades… • • Tn. T Day Jill of All Trades Mark’s - AMDSB Dual credit programs

Tn. T Days… a day for women Tn. T Day. . A Day for Women…

Jill of All Trades…

AMDSB activities

For women Only…

Sharing. . . • What other RPT’s are doing…