Manitoba Women in Trades Conference seeks to build interest

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This article was published 04/11/2024 (683 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kristina Peterson slides out the door to make a TikTok.

Behind her, she leaves a boardroom of women gathered for a common goal: draw more females to the trades.

There’s a camera crew set up near the door, ready to conduct interviews for the morning news. And back in the Manitoba Construction Sector Council’s boardroom, plans are being rehashed for an upcoming conference Nov. 21 in Winnipeg, promoting tradeswomen.

“There’s so few of us,” said Peterson, who’s been a Red Seal carpenter for seven years.

Women are increasingly being represented in the trades — but the number still falls far short of equal representation.

Overall, women make up five per cent of Manitoba’s construction trades workforce. It marks a one per cent year-over-year increase, according to the Manitoba Construction Sector Council.

The organization’s executive director is aiming for 50 per cent. She’s enlisted people such as Peterson to share their stories at the Manitoba Women in Trades Conference.

“I was worried that I might not be strong enough, might not be tough enough,” Peterson said of her career change after doing a promotional TikTok. “But that comes with time. I ended up not having to worry about that.”

She switched from an office job — working for a carpenters union — to becoming a carpenter herself. The pay was a “deciding factor,” Peterson explained.

“I couldn’t be happier, actually, going from an office job to being outside on the tools,” she continued. “It’s a much better fit for me.”

She now devotes time to spreading the word and encouraging new tradeswomen. She’s slated to speak on a panel at the sector council’s conference.

She also helps with activities promoting trades among grades 5 and 6 girls. Currently, the worksites Peterson is on rarely contain more than two women — but that could change in the future, she believes.

The ongoing emphasis to recruit women comes as the industry prepares for thousands of retirements.

The Manitoba Construction Sector Council anticipates 4,669 retirements over the next decade. It’s ballparking a need for more than 6,300 new workers during the same time frame.

Women, newcomers and Indigenous people are among the groups being scouted.

“I know so many women — they feel energized and excited at the end of the day because they made something,” said Andrea Canada, a consultant for the Manitoba Construction Sector Council. “The ones that want to do this kind of work, there should not be barriers for them.”

It’s not just about recruitment, Canada noted — it’s about retention and making the workplace safe for women and other groups.

Retention involves showing tradeswomen they’re not alone — hence the need for the third Manitoba Women in Trades Conference, said Canada, an organizer.

The day-long event happens every two years and is laced with tradeswomen sharing experiences. Topics cover coaching and leadership, pregnancy and maternity leave, and tips on worker recruitment and retention, among other things.

About 75 per cent of attendees are tradespeople and employers. The latter 25 per cent are students.

Canada has seen it happen at previous events: “(Attendees) look around and go, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s more of me. I’m not alone.’”

She teaches at Women of Steel, a Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology program for women starting welding. “Heavy word of mouth” has caused sisters and friends to enrol following a loved ones’ graduation.

Manitoba’s construction industry includes 6,380 women. Upwards of 2,100 have pursued trades.

There are still barriers, noted Carol Paul, Manitoba Construction Sector Council executive director.

Some tradeswomen aren’t supported by their companies to leave apprenticeship stages. Others are routed to administrative and leadership positions where they aren’t dealing with tools, Paul said.

Trade helpers and labourers, construction managers, supervisors, estimators, painters and decorators are the most common jobs held by Manitoba tradeswomen.

“I think men traditionally see women as working in those (administrative) roles,” Paul said. “I think men just need to be able to see that women can work differently.

“We have all the safety equipment now so that you don’t have to lift heavy amounts — there’s actually equipment that helps.”

However, women leave the industry because they don’t feel supported and face gender-specific barriers like a lack of proper protective gear, the Manitoba Construction Sector Council outlined.

The crew of women behind the Nov. 21 conference hope to make a difference. The event joins a number of focused sector council initiatives, including one upcoming in January to promote men as allies. Winnipeg Blue Bombers alumni will host the program.

The conference will occur at the Victoria Inn. Organizers are planning for 400 registrations.

Registration for the conference costs $250 until Friday. The price then jumps to $375 until registration closes Nov. 13.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com