In a historically male-dominated field, the construction industry has long grappled with how it can inspire young women to pursue a career in the skilled trades. Much of the conversation revolves around what innovative programs can help the next generation of women recognize their potential in the industry.
The Carpenters’ Regional Council (CRC), also known as the Carpenters’ Union, emphasizes the importance of early education and exposure to the skilled trades through its many programs. The CRC provides hands-on training, is involved in local community events, offers safety courses, hosts open house tours, and creates career exploration opportunities for its community and industry partners.
The Carpenters’ Union has partnered with school boards across Ontario to engage young women in practical learning opportunities to foster an interest in the skilled trades. They’ve found that when these hands-on experiences are offered to girls in elementary school, it lays a foundation and reinforces the idea that they can have a successful future in the industry for the long term. However, these productive early conversations must continue as young women enter and complete high school.
Through funding provided by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, Carpenters’ Local 2486 is running a pre-apprenticeship program that seeks to bridge this gap. The seventeen-week course includes nine weeks of in-class training with Red Seal-certified Local 2486 instructors, as well as an eight-week job placement with a contractor for all successful participants, giving them a head start in their careers. Speaking with Carpenters’ Area Training Manager Alex Cardinal, she says, “Our program helps students as they exit high school and look to become a registered apprentice. Despite being in its early stages, the program has shown promising results already. The students that are currently enrolled are eager to get on site and apply what they have learned during their nine weeks with us in class.”
“Our government has an ambitious plan to build Ontario, which means we need all hands-on deck. But when women represent only 4% of workers in construction sector trades, that’s tying one hand behind our back,” says Minister David Piccini, Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skill Development. “That’s why we’re proud to invest in projects like the Carpenters’ Try a Trades Day, which is helping young women learn about the trades and is inspiring them to start a career, with support from incredible tradeswomen role models – because you can’t be what you can’t see. Along with implementing first-in-Canada measures to ensure women have properly fitting PPE in construction and menstrual products on job sites, we’re making sure more women know that there’s a place for them in the trades. An economy that doesn’t work for women, doesn’t work at all.”
As Alex monitors the effort and accomplishment of the participants in Local 2486’s pre-apprenticeship program, she reiterates how important it is to incorporate girls at an early age into the fold of the construction industry. “Local 2486 has hosted a ‘try a trade day’ with Sudbury’s local district school boards for the past six to seven years where girls in grades six to ten have an introduction to the skilled trades. Participants learn some of the drywall trade, use power tools, measure and cut, learn to mud and tape, all within an all-girl environment,” Alex explains. “The try a trade day is an integral learning opportunity for young girls to nurture their interest towards the trades and gives them the chance to feel empowered and participate without restraint.”
Since Local 2486 introduced and incorporated early initiatives into elementary schools, they’ve found that girls who have participated have the confidence to explore new career paths and follow their ambitions even in a historically male-dominated industry. Alex says, “The try a trade day has had a long-lasting impact on the girls that have taken part. We are now seeing students from the first few years come back, enroll in our pre-apprenticeship program, and continue their journey in the trades thanks to the experience they had at a young age.”
The current round of students in Local 2486’s pre-apprenticeship program are now stepping onto jobsites for the first time as they begin their work placements in the second part of the program. “The students are so excited to get started and put what they’ve learned in class into action in a real world environment,” Alex says. “It’s uplifting to see the next generation of women actively pursuing careers in carpentry. It signals a bright future for diversity inclusion within our industry.”
Learn more about the Carpenters District Council of Ontario online here.