OGCA, CAWIC and Mark's Commercial announce bursaries for women in construction

TORONTO — The Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA), the Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC) and Mark’s Commercial have announced a new bursary for the top three women in construction at the provincial Skills Ontario competition.

The bursary was announced at the Women in Construction Gala held April 25 in Vaughan, Ont.

“In conversations, we said let’s change somebody’s life,” said Giovanni Cautillo, president of the OGCA. “The gentleman from Mark’s, Adam Gaiser, said, ‘Why one person? Why not multiple people?’ He said, ‘What if we gave a bursary?’ It was his idea and it ballooned.”

Three bursaries will be awarded worth $2,500 a piece, totalling $7,500 to the three top female winners of the contest in construction. They will be awarded May 6 and 7 at the Skills Ontario competition in Toronto.

“For us it made perfect sense,” said Cautillo, adding both Mark’s Commercial and CAWIC are committed to doing this for three years. “We’re physically changing someone’s career path and life by doing this.”

Jennifer Green, director of competitions and business development with Skills Ontario, says the time is now to search for successful up-and-coming women in construction.

“Over the last two years I personally scoured through all the results of the gold, silver and bronze medalists,” said Green. “What do you think I’m looking for? I’m looking for the women. I’m looking for those in underrepresented groups. I want to see who is coming through the provincial doors. In the last two years we have had women medal in contests that they have never medalled in before.

“We have seen more and more women getting gold and making it to Team Ontario and travelling with us to the Skills Canada National Competition where every other year they have the chance to qualify for Team Canada to compete at Worlds.”