The Women in Resource Development Corporation (WRDC) has received federal funding for a project aimed at improving economic opportunities for women in the building trades in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The three year project will begin with a needs assessment and will bring together stakeholders from all areas to develop an action plan to support the advancement of women in the construction trades. Public forums begin this fall.
"We’re trying to bring back the information on the challenges and the barriers and have key stakeholders sit at the table and discuss ways that we can meet those challenges head on," said WRDC executive director Cheri Butt.
"We will select a few specific initiatives, pilot them and then share the best practices. We hope that it will actually have a long-lasting impact in this area."
The plan will address some known barriers, such as the need for support in transitioning from education to employment.
One of the largest barriers to women working in the construction sector is that projects often involve shift work and there can be issues around child care during these shifts, says Butt. There are also issues with women advancing within their chosen career paths.
Identified best practices will be shared with other stakeholders to encourage even greater recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the construction sector.
Though women represent almost half of the Canadian workforce, in 2012 women represented four per cent of those working in the construction trades.
"Ultimately what we’re striving for is that women have the same opportunity as men to make informed decisions about these careers and then have the same opportunities to choose, train, start and advance in these careers if they so choose," said Butt.
The WRDC is an organization committed to increasing the participation of women in trades and technology in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"Overall, we really look at it as a life cycle approach," explained Butt.
"We try to empower girls through career exploration programs, then we provide career counseling and development services. Once we get them aware of the possible careers in trades, then they actually get trained for them. When people go into these careers, we make sure the employers have respectful, diverse workplaces for them."
The WRDC’s Educational Resource Centre offers programs such as Techsploration Newfoundland and Labrador which give young women the opportunity to explore trades, technical and technology-related occupations; GUSTO! (Girls Understanding Skilled Trades Opportunities), a free workshop for high school girls interested in getting hands-on experience in the carpentry and electrical trades; and TOTT (Techsploration: Orientation to Trades and Technology), a 13-week program to give women ages 17-22 practical experience of natural resource-based industries.The Ministry of Status of Women is providing $250,000 to the WRDC for this project.
This project was selected under the theme of advancing women in non-traditional occupations as part of the federal government’s recent call for proposals entitled Opening Doors: Economic Opportunities for Women.
"Our government is taking actions that support new economic opportunities for Canadian women across the country, and positioning them for greater prosperity.
"That’s why we are proud to fund community projects like this one with the Women in Resource Development Corporation which open new doors for women in the construction sector," said Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women Kellie Leitch in a statement.
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