GUELPH, ONT. – Skills Ontario is once again hosting its Celebration for International Women’s Day at Linamar as a way to encourage young women to consider a career in the trades.
Today, Grade 11 and 12 students will visit the facility and meet with skilled trade employers to learn about the various training and employment opportunities within Guelph, Wellington County and the surrounding areas.
Students will also hear from keynote speaker, Dee Durant, a 309A construction and electrical maintenance apprentice, and a panel of skilled tradeswomen, including:
- Mandy Bujold, former Olympic boxer and manager of industry and community partnerships at the Grand Valley Construction Association
- Nate Reinert, HVAC technician with Reliance Home & Comfort and recipient of the 2023 President’s Award
- Elizabeth (Betty) Lofthouse, senior health and safety consultant at Work Safety Prevention Services
- Hayley MacKay, Trades & Tech Truck program manager at Skills Ontario.
Throughout the day, participants will join in various workshops designed to highlight the day-to-day tasks involved in a skilled trade or technology career. The Skills Ontario Trades & Tech Truck will also be onsite and students can try welding, heavy machinery, electrical circuits and more, states a release.
In the evening, Skills Ontario is hosting an International Women’s Day Celebration Event at Linamar. The free event is an opportunity for women, those who identify as women, and allies to network and celebrate tradeswomen by featuring a variety of exhibitors. A keynote presentation will come from Brandi Ferenc, a Red Seal 313A refrigeration mechanic/gas 1 fitter journeyperson and founder of Fair Trades Toolbox.
“This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is accelerate action, and we hope today’s conversations with skilled tradeswomen, and hands-on activities, propel students to pursue these rewarding careers themselves,” said Lindsay Chester, program manager of the Skills Ontario Young Women’s Initiatives.
Along with the in-person events, Skills Ontario is offering online programming for International Women’s Day until March 7th. Information about all the events for International Women’s Day can be found at https://www.skillsontario.com/iwd.
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