What makes it different?
The ITA Women in Trades Training initiative is different because it recognizes and addresses the unique barriers that women can experience in accessing employment opportunities in the trades.  Through our funding and training partners, we are able to offer a customized package of counselling, financial supports, training and job placement as needed.  Each woman’s path to a trades career is different; this initiative offers a flexible approach to meet each individual’s needs.

Your role in the initiative
As a career practitioner, you are uniquely placed to inform your women clients about this training and employment initiative, and we encourage you to find out more about how it can benefit women of all skill levels and backgrounds. The ITA Women in Trades Training initiative offers women an integrated and supportive path to a new career in trades, taking them from career exploration to training opportunities to employment. 

Program objectives
The ITA is focusing on women because they have traditionally been over-represented in low-paying, low-skill occupations in health care, retail and menial labour.  At the same time, our province, along with the rest of Canada, has a growing need for skilled tradespeople.  By matching women’s skills to the needs of B.C.’s workplace, we can support them in reaching their full potential and ensure that our workforce remains strong and competitive.

Top five reasons to recommend a trades career 

There has never been a better time for women to consider a career in the trades:

1. Better opportunities
The trades are experiencing a shortage of trained workers and with an aging population, the shortfall will only increase in the coming years.  The Province is committed to supporting traditionally under-employed and under-utilized workers, including women, which means there will be opportunities for women in just about every trade area. 

2. Better salary
Compared to men, women are more likely to be employed in low-paying jobs in sales, services, administration and health sectors.  They are also more likely to be employed part-time.  And they earn about one-third less than their male counterparts.  A trades career can mean more stable and higher-paid work, with the average wage of a tradesperson being double that of someone in a retail position. 

3. Job satisfaction
Tradespeople are well-paid, respected, skilled members of B.C.’s workforce.  If you know women who are looking for work that is challenging, rewarding, and will let them use their hands and minds on the job, the trades may be the right career fit.  Many women who feel confined by office or service jobs are inspired by the opportunities available in the trades. Tradeswomen report high levels of job satisfaction and increased confidence. They enjoy working with materials and seeing the results of their work.

4. Financial and other supports
Women experience challenges that other population segments don’t, including: being a primary caregiver to children or older parents; coping with societal prejudice against female tradespersons; being less likely to have informal exposure to a trade or trades environment than men; and having fewer financial and other resources to support them during the training process. 

The ITA Women in Trades Training initiative helps women address some of these challenges by providing a range of financial and other supports that can include:

• Paid tuition
• Childcare allowance
• Paid textbooks, tools and work boots
• Transportation allowance
• Career counselling
• Introductions to employers
• Safety training (WHMIS, First Aid, etc.)
• Other individualized supports

5. Positive outcomes
Just two per cent of working women are employed in the trades, but there’s no reason for the number to be so low.  Women have the stamina, intelligence and manual skills to equal men in every trades area.  Although some women may be challenged to match the physical strength of their male counterparts, there are very few trades where physical strength is a requirement or an advantage.  Women are known to have above average hand-eye co-ordination, communication and interpersonal skills.  The proof is in the outcomes of women program graduates: women sponsored by the ITA Women in Trades Training initiative are establishing careers in a wide range of trades, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and more.

For more information about the ITA Women in Trades Training initiative, please call Jessi Zielke at (778) 327-5905 or email info@womenintrades.ca.