Dismantling barriers for women in trades
About 700,000 of the four million Canadians working in trades are set to retire by the end of this decade, according to Employment and Social Development Canada.
Strengthening the skilled trades workforce by attracting people from demographics that are currently under-represented in the field – including women – is widely seen as a part of the solution. Yet for Christie Lavan, director, External Relations and Growth at Women Building Futures (WBF), the challenge goes beyond getting women career-ready.
“We’ve spent a lot of time getting women ready for the trades, and now we need to get the trades ready for women,” she explains. “We are building partnerships with employers who are driving more inclusive workplaces to help them move forward on their diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI] journeys.”
WBF’s workforce inclusion efforts – through an Employers of Choice membership program and Work Proud Inclusivity Training – help organizations nurture safe and equitable workplaces, says Ms. Lavan. “Engaging with employers who value diversity and inclusion for under-represented people as much as we do helps to ensure successful outcomes.”
With the goal of fostering economic security for women facing barriers to entering careers in trades and transportation, WBF has enlisted dozens of partners, including from industry, governments, community organizations, post-secondary institutions, and Indigenous communities and organizations.
“Partnerships are integral to what we do,” she says. “By increasing awareness about opportunities, enlisting support in removing barriers and fostering connections to values-aligned organizations, we’re helping to ensure innovation through diversity within the industry.”
In 26 years, over 3,000 women graduated from WBF programs, and the organization is leveraging the power of role models by highlighting the success of alumni.
“We want to intentionally inspire women to look beyond some of the deeply ingrained gender norms and stereotypes that could deter them from considering working in trades,” Ms. Lavan says. “Starting a career where you are an outlier or in the minority can be intimidating for anyone. That’s why it is vital to have female mentors and visible examples so women can see themselves in these careers. It allows them to realize, ‘Hey, if she can do it, I can do it.’”
It also enables women to ask questions, for example, about what it’s like to be the only female on an all-male crew or how to access resources, and Ms. Lavan notes that this is where WBF has built an impressive suite of wraparound services.
“Since we’re serving women who are unemployed, underemployed or seeking a career change, we’re very aware they face many barriers, which can include limited access to safe and affordable housing, challenges in finding affordable childcare or lack of financial security,” she says. “There can also be gaps in understanding the trades culture, apprenticeship system and employment expectations.”
Part of WBF’s service is working hands-on with each applicant to understand her personal situation and ensure she has access to support – and the model achieves impressive results.
“Eighty-seven to 90 per cent of our graduates are employed within the first six months of completing their program. What’s more – they’re making on average 30 per cent more than the local living wage when they start out,” says Ms. Lavan. “We surround women with support. We help carry some of the burden of expenses, help build their confidence and give them support for as long as they want through their careers. Working with employers to create safe and inclusive spaces for them when they graduate helps to keep them thriving in the trades.”
Women currently make up less than six per cent of apprentices in construction, manufacturing and transportation in Canada, and WBF is hoping to shift this number.
“By moving this needle, we would be able to infuse the country with diverse skilled talent to support the billions of dollars of industrial planned projects,” says Ms. Lavan. “The labour force needs experienced, skilled workers. It takes time for workers to get experience and hone skills, so the time to invest in bringing more green hats to worksites is now.”
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition Construction and skilled trades tradesMore information at womenbuildingfutures.ca.
Students at Women Building Futures are introduced to skilled trades like pipefitting, carpentry, plumbing and welding. supplied