“…Whereas Women in Trades Day is dedicated to helping women explore career and apprenticeship pathways, …I, Marianne Matichuk, Mayor of the City of Greater Sudbury, do hereby proclaim March 5th as Women in Trades Day to give women of all ages an opportunity to consider a viable career in the skilled trades..”
The 2nd Regional Women in Trades Forum, “Why Women, Why Trades, Why Now” took place in Sudbury on March 5th at College Boreal, sponsored by the provincial Women in Trades Network and a collaboration of partners from the Sudbury /Manitoulin Region. The forums are designed to engage regional leaders in accelerating women’s participation in the trades, and at the same time offer practical opportunities for women and other key stakeholders to learn about best practices for supporting women’s access. Led by MicroSkills, Collège Boréal, and Workforce Planning for Sudbury and Manitoulin, the local planning group created a dynamic event that helped women explore career /apprenticeship pathways and obtain practical information and resources about non- traditional trades and technology.
Addressing an audience of over 100 local women and community members, keynote speaker, Tammy Evans, President of Canadian Association of Women in Construction , encouraged women to consider careers in the Trades, and told them emphatically, “don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do this job!”
Throughout the day, women had the opportunity to “try on trades” in Collège Boréal’ s training labs, exploring the tools and tasks involved in carpentry, welding, automotive, and electrical, to name only a few of the trades showcased for women at this event. Women learned more about the reality of trades careers in a Tradeswomen Roundtable discussion, and a “best practices” panel featured exemplary women focused programs from across the province – Aboriginal Women in Mining , supported by the Temiskaming Native Women’s Support Group and government, employer and community partners , the Women into Electrical Engineering Technology supported by Hydro 1, Leacross Foundation and Algonquin College, and “Women Transitioning to Trades and Employment” supported by George Brown College, the Ontario Women’s Directorate and a range of community partners.
Workshops assisted women, local educators and career practitioners to better understand the trades and apprenticeship systems and learn strategies to better support women’s access.
Planning partners for this event also included Cambrian College, City of Greater Sudbury, Gezhtoojig Employment and Training, N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre, Toromont, Wii-ni n’guch-tood LDM Employment & Training, Skills Ontario, and the Local Immigration Partnership.
The event was supported by generous contributions of time and resources from planning partners and volunteers, and financial support from the Government of Ontario and the Canadian Women’s Foundation.
-Jane Wilson
Director, Women Services & Resource Development
MicroSkills Blog 