CAF-FCA to Develop National Strategy for Women in Trades by 2020

EIN 37 CS women in trades 400

Sept 5, 2019

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum Canadien sur l’Apprentissage (CAF-FCA) has announced a task force to develop a national strategy for women in trades.

“Our country is going to need thousands of new trades professionals in the next five years, and the creation of a national strategy to help attract more women to the trades will be critical to meeting labour market and economic needs,” says Shelley Gray, CEO of BC’s Industry Training Authority, and member of the new task force. “To do this, it’s important to develop workplaces that are welcoming, positive, and inclusive of everyone interested in pursuing an apprenticeship.”

The task force is a product of CAF-FCA’s 2019 Supporting Women in Trades Conference. With their initial conference in 2018 they developed their Road Map to Supporting Women in Trades report.

“We already know what the barriers are. Insights from this task force, along with twenty years of CAF-FCA national research in the area will provide a clear direction on how to create sustainable change. The entire skilled trades community needs to work together and set targets for increasing female participation – what gets measured gets done,” said CAF-FCA Executive Director, France Daviault.

The task force, comprised of apprentices, tradeswomen, representatives from women’s organizations, labour groups, employers, educators and jurisdictional apprenticeship authorities will inform specific strategy content and establish a national target to increase participation and retention of females in skilled trades careers.

Ultimately, the goal is to shift the narrative when it comes to women and trades to address gender disparity as well as support the growing demand for tradespeople. Daviault said currently, trades are not presented to women as a viable career option. Getting more women into upper-level positions is crucial for the progression of industry.

“It’s typically been seen as careers that are dirty and that require a lot of physical exertion and all of those image barriers that we have. But with the new technologies that are affecting these trades, there is so much opportunity for women,” she said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.

The CAF-FCA Strategy task force will hold its inaugural meeting on September 9, 2019. The task force will present their National Strategy for Women in Trades report at the 2020 National Apprenticeship conference to be held in Calgary May 24-26.

Source

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • EFC’s Business Sections Welcomes New Lighting Vice Chair

    EFC’s Business Sections Welcomes New Lighting Vice Chair

    EFC is pleased to announce Gil Ofek, Liteline, as the new Vice Chair for the Lighting business section. Gil is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the lighting industry. He currently serves as the Director of Product Management at Liteline Corporation, a leading lighting manufacturer in Canada. In this role, Gil is responsible for… Read More…

  • Salex: Shining a Light on Canadian Brands

    Salex: Shining a Light on Canadian Brands

    Salex Is Proud to Represent a Range of Outstanding Canadian Lighting Manufacturers. These brands not only offer high-quality and cutting-edge solutions but also contribute to the growth of our national industry. Some of Salex’s featured Canadian partners include: Read More…


Design

  • Light ARchitect Is Revolutionizing Lighting Design for Architects & Designers

    Light ARchitect Is Revolutionizing Lighting Design for Architects & Designers

    Traditionally, lighting design could be a tedious process, often involving physical mockups, time-consuming calculations, and static renderings using multiple software tools. With advancing technology, these traditional methods are giving way to more sophisticated tools that enhance precision, speed, and visualization. On the downside, many of the new tools are not particularly intuitive and the learning… Read More…

  • Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    Project Story: Sainte-Thérèse High School Outdoor Lighting Upgrade

    August 6, 2024 Built in 1980, the building that houses Sainte-Thérèse high school, in Quebec Canada, was looking a little worse for the wear. Renovation work began with two major projects: introducing a multidisciplinary sports centre, as well as redesigning the parking lots.  The employee and visitor parking lots were completely reconfigured during phase 1… Read More…


New Products

  • Eureka: Lattice – 3D Printed Ceiling Suspended Fixture

    Eureka: Lattice – 3D Printed Ceiling Suspended Fixture

    Lattice is a one-of-a-kind 3D metal printed fixture. Layer upon layer of intricately braided aluminum branches meld into one of three comprehensive shapes. The result is a stunning glowing light fixture that will add a luxurious feel to ambient environments. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON DEMAND. Read More…

  • SATCO|NUVO: CFL Replacement Lamps

    SATCO|NUVO: CFL Replacement Lamps

    Upgrade your lighting with SATCO-NUVO’s energy-efficient Type B ballast bypass LED replacement lamps. These innovative lamps are available in multiple base options to suit your needs. The 3.5W model for 5/7/9W CFL lamps with a 2G7 base and the 5.5W model for 13W CFL lamps with a 2GX7 base are 4 CCT selectable, while the… Read More…