Despite efforts to promote gender diversity, men still form the bulk of all tradespeople in northwestern Ontario.
New data from the North Superior Workforce Planning Board shows the gender balance in the region is shifting slower than elsewhere in the province. Only 8.5 per cent of the 1,100 active apprentices in the Thunder Bay district last year were women, compared to a provincial average of 12.5 per cent.
"I saw it as removing all these barriers that were keeping me from getting into welding: the initial monetary investment, having the equipment that I need and also just the ability to walk into a classroom and say, 'I know nothing about this, and I want to learn,' which is really hard for me because I like to be very educated before I say or do anything."
Her 2022 labour market plan found women-dominated sectors suffered disproportionate job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including layoffs, fewer full-time positions and more precarious work."It's changing gradually a little too slowly for my preference, but I think primary child care is often expected to be the woman's role," Richardson said. "That doesn't necessarily happen because it's a conscious decision.
"I think the society still gets stuck on the 'pink' and 'blue' roles in the workforce," George said. "We have Ontario entering a major natural resource and construction era that will require thousands of skilled trades workers. Ontario's demand for skilled workers is increasing, so now is the time for our women to step forward. There are so many opportunities out there.
To shift that mindset in the next generation, every school board in the region runs internships known as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. Along with Confederation College, they're specifically targeting females as young as Grade 7 to consider careers in the trades. Baldwin discovered her career path early and graduated with a specialist high skills major diploma. She's embarking on an apprenticeship at the nearby New Gold mine.
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