A new Office to Advance Woman Apprentices (OAWA) for Alberta opened in Edmonton, advancing women to Red Seal certification in the skilled construction trades.
Opportunities for Alberta women in trades are growing, with employers and advocates are working to make workplaces safer and more inclusive for all. Some women say the road to these careers has not been easy. But as Jaclyn Kucey explains, some women in trades hope to spark change for the next generation.A new Office to Advance Woman Apprentices for Alberta opened in Edmonton to mark International Women’s Day.
“I think this is some of the most fun I had in a while,” said one of the students, Tally Niven-Marcoux, who is hoping to one day make this a career. “If not carpentry, I’d probably look to do electrician work because that’s what my grandpa does.”“In my class, there’s only me and one other girl that actually went, and that’s out of 15 girls in our whole class.
“I had probably sent out at least 30 resumes trying to just break into that , to have somebody hire me as an apprentice, and I didn’t even get a call back, or an interview or anything,” said Melnyk.Now in her 40s, Melnyk is finally breaking through the barriers she’s faced. She’s going into her final year to earn a journeyperson certification.But like many, the journey has not been one without facing stereotypes and harassment.
After more than a decade working on the tools, she’s hanging up her stinger, welding helmet and hard hat to help educate and inspire younger generations.It’s been around for 25 years, and they’ve helped more than 3,000 women and gender diverse students find a career path in the trades.WBF president and CEO Carol Moen said one of the things they do is work to connect students with companies committed to an inclusive workplace.
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