LauncHER, MITT event showcases pathways for women in trades

Samantha Law was skeptical at first when her teenage daughter, Drew, told her she was considering a career as a welder. “Male-dominated” and “dirty” were the words that came to mind when she pictured the profession.

Wanting Drew to make an informed choice, Law accompanied her to a career fair at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology campus on Henlow Bay on Wednesday. The career fair gave women ages 18 and older the opportunity to try their hands at four trades, including carpentry and electrical applications.

While Drew, 19, was in one part of the school learning about welding, Law was in another room exploring what it means to be a millwright. The 39-year-old, who works at a turkey hatchery, listened to a 25-minute presentation by MITT instructor Mike Williams and then, with Williams’ guidance, used a lathe to make a brass ring.

Recent discussions with Drew, coupled with her experience at the career fair, had Law considering a career change. The job opportunities in the trades, the paycheques and potential to specialize in a craft are attractive to her.

“I’m checking out the welding after this,” Law said. “And I don’t know if I’m going to (pursue work in) either, but I am definitely open to the trades now.”

According to Statistics Canada’s 2022 proportion of employment calculations, only 5.8 per cent of jobs in trades, transport, equipment operation and related occupations were filled by women in Manitoba.

Efforts have been made to introduce girls in high school to trades careers through hands-on exploratory events, but for many people, the hunt for the right career doesn’t stop after graduation.

That’s why MITT partnered with LauncHER into Trades, an initiative of First Peoples Development Inc., to organize the career fair, said Holly Shimaro, industry engagement co-ordinator at the school.

“There have not been a lot of opportunities for adult women in Manitoba to start their journey and gain that hands-on experience,” Shimaro said.

Eighty women registered for the event, which was split into two sessions — one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

For Victoria Fountain, the afternoon was a chance to explore her options as she prepares to re-enter the workforce.

The 35-year-old owned and operated a 12-person construction company before shutting it down after she fell ill two years ago. Now that her health is better, she’s considering following in her grandfather’s footsteps and becoming a millwright.

“I’ve always kind of liked what he did,” Fountain said. “Construction was kind of always around me I guess, but I like mechanical and I like automotive. This kind of stuff is very interesting to me — getting dirty and fixing things. I really like it.”

For people who enjoy working with their hands, becoming a millwright is a great choice, Williams, the MITT instructor, told participants during his presentation. There’s a variety of work to do, there are many jobs available, and it typically pays $40 to $50 an hour, he said.

Those things appeal to Fountain, who has three children. To her, a job in the trades means financial security.

“It’s having … that job (and) knowing that later on in life I’ll be taken care of,” she said.

The career fair was one of a number of events the LauncHER into Trades program at First Peoples Development Inc. has undertaken to promote the retention and recruitment of women in Red Seal trades within Manitoba, said Alison Ng, program manager.

The program helps women navigate challenges and barriers that impact progression in attaining a journeyperson designation in a Red Seal trade by providing mentorships, networking opportunities and other supports.

Many occupations are expected to face labour shortages in the coming years, including the skilled trades, and getting more women into these professions could be one solution, Ng said.

“I think there should be more of these kinds of (career fair) opportunities,” she said.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca