Minister Boissonnault announces more than $28.9 million to help women succeed in the skilled trades

SURREY, BC, March 8, 2024 /CNW/ - With the number of housing construction projects needed across the country, the demand for skilled tradespeople is at an all-time high and is expected to keep growing. The Government of Canada is making targeted investments aimed at developing a diverse and inclusive skilled trades workforce that will have the right skills to build the country's housing supply and grow tomorrow's green economy. 

Yesterday, on the eve of International Women's Day, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, announced funding of more than $28.9 million over four years for 15 projects that will help approximately 6,400 women get the apprenticeship training and support they need to enter the skilled trades workforce. 

Funded under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy's Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative, these projects will recruit and retain women apprentices in 39 eligible Red Seal trades found predominantly in the construction and manufacturing sectors. 

As part of the announcement, Minister Boissonnault also highlighted funding of more than $1.5 million under this initiative to the Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society for its Immigrant Women Trades Apprenticeship project. The project will support 120 newcomer women apprentices from equity-deserving groups in securing sustainable, rewarding and long-term employment in British Columbia's carpentry, construction, craft working, construction electrical, plumbing and welding trades. 

Each year, the Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion in apprenticeship supports through grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal program. These investments help to increase the supply of workers in the skilled trades, fostering a more productive workforce, including in the housing industry. 

"Women are vastly underrepresented in the skilled trades ? and it isn't due to a lack of interest. We need to inform and provide opportunities to women across the country ? to bring new skillsets, creativity and diversity into our workforce. This investment will give more than 6,000 women in Canada the training they need for good jobs and will strengthen our economy as we fill needed positions."

? Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault

"Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society is excited to provide participants with specific training that leads to technical skills, certification and practical experience that employers in the trades sector are looking for. This program supports women to achieve their trades-certification goals and gain the practical skills required to excel in their future careers."

? Satbir Singh Cheema, CEO & President of PICS Society

• Employment and Social Development Canada expects that, between 2022 and 2031, there will be more than 760,000 job openings in construction trades, including 400,000 from retirement.
• In British Columbia, BuildForce Canada forecasts that the construction labour industry will be short more than 52,000 workers by 2032, with more than 38,000 expected to retire over the same period.
• The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation estimates that 5 million homes will need to be built by 2030. That is 3.5 million more than currently planned.
• Women's participation in apprenticeship remains low. For instance, women represent only 10% of apprentices in Red Seal trades, and nearly half of them (44%) are in the low-paid hairstylist, cook and baker service sector trades.
• The proportion of women among new registrations in male-dominated Red Seal trades (all trades except hairstylist, cook and baker) has been slowly but steadily increasing, going from 2.4% in 2004 to 7.8% in 2022.
• The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy is a funding program that helps apprentices, employers, unions and other organizations participate in apprenticeship. The projects being announced result from a call for proposals launched in October 2022 to fund projects that aim to recruit, retain and help women apprentices in 39 eligible Red Seal trades.

Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy 
Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative
Canada.ca/skilled-trades 
Supports for the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeships   

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Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative

The Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative focuses on funding projects that recruit, retain, and help women apprentices succeed in the 39 eligible Red Seals trades found predominately in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

The Initiative supports projects that:

• create partnerships with women's groups, community colleges, unions or employers to recruit women;
• organize women-led events as an outreach tool to help attract women to the skilled trades;
• offer mentorship by female role models, women-in-the-skilled-trades networks, and opportunities to share success stories; and
• create a welcoming space where women can feel comfortable and safe in the training and work sites.

The Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative falls under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which aims to encourage Canadians to explore, prepare for, and succeed in apprenticeships and careers in the skilled trades.

The following projects funded under the 2022 Women in the Skilled Trades Initiative call for proposals were announced on March 7, 2024:

1. Organization: United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
   Project title: Sisters in the Skilled Trades
   Description: Project will support women apprentices enrolled in technical training through wraparound supports such as dependent care, travel supports, and supports for technical training expenses.
   Funding amount: $2,330,619
   Region: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
   Ontario (Woodbridge)
   Nova Scotia (Lower Sackville)
   New Brunswick (Hanwell)
   Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown) 
   British Columbia (Delta)
   Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)
   Quebec (Anjou)
   Newfoundland and Labrador (Paradise)
   Alberta (Edmonton)
   Northwest Territories
   Nunavut
   Yukon
   
   
2. Organization: Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology
   Project title: ConnectHER: Mentorship Program for Women in the Trades
   Description: Project will recruit, retain and support women in at least five Red Seal trades (such as construction electrician, carpenter, welder, plumber, and heavy equipment operator) through the development of a female-led mentorship program.
   Funding amount: $2,371,946
   Region: Ontario (London)
   British Columbia
   Alberta
   Saskatchewan
   Manitoba
   Ontario
   Quebec
   New Brunswick
   Nova Scotia
   Prince Edward Island
   Newfoundland and Labrador
   Northwest Territories
   Nunavut
   
   
3. Organization: Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium of Canada
   Project title: Women in Advanced Manufacturing Skilled Trades
   Description: Project will support women apprentices with a strategic and targeted approach to help increase the Red Seal program retention and completion rates.
   Funding amount: $2,186,076
   Region: Ontario (Owen Sound)
   British Columbia
   Alberta
   Saskatchewan
   Manitoba
   Quebec
   New Brunswick
   Nova Scotia
   Prince Edward Island
   Newfoundland and Labrador
   Northwest Territories
   Nunavut
   Yukon
   
   
4. Organization: Canadian Apprenticeship Forum
   Project title: A National Mentorship Program for Women Apprentices in 39 Red Seal Trades
   Description: Project will create a national mentorship program and provide wraparound services to recruit, retain and help 160 women in 39 Red Seal trades across Canada.
   Funding amount: $1,112,325
   Region: Ontario (Ottawa)
   Alberta
   Manitoba
   New Brunswick
   Newfoundland and Labrador
   Northwest Territories
   Nunavut
   Prince Edward Island
   Quebec
   Saskatchewan
   Yukon
   
   
5. Organization: Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society
   Project title: Immigrant Women Trades Apprenticeship Project
   Description: Project will support 120 newcomer women apprentices from equity-deserving groups in securing sustainable, long-term employment in British Columbia's carpentry, construction, craft working, construction electrical, plumbing and welding trades.
   Funding amount: $1,538,608
   Region: British Columbia (Surrey)
   
   
6. Organization: The Western Joint Electrical Training Society
   Project title: WIRED (Women's Interconnection and Retention in the Electrical Disciplines)
   Description: Project will help recruit and retain women apprentices in the electrical trade through training for new apprentices and wraparound supports.
   Funding amount: $2,615,777
   Region: British Columbia (Kamloops)
   
   
7. Organization: Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission
   Project title: Building Women Up - SK
   Description: Project will develop a marketing campaign as an outreach tool to help attract women in the trades, to offer them work opportunities and to create a welcoming space where they can feel comfortable and safe on work sites.
   Funding amount: $874,855
   Region: Saskatchewan (Regina)
   
   
8. Organization: First Peoples Development Inc.
   Project title: Supporting Progressive Success for Women in Trades
   Description: Project will provide mentorship, networking and other key supports for women apprentices pursuing a career in a Red Seal trade.
   Funding amount: $2,354,009
   Region: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
   
   
9. Organization: Skills for Change of Metro Toronto
   Project title: Inclusive Pathways to Apprenticeship for Immigrant and Racialized Women
   Description: Project will support racialized and immigrant women in Ontario in Red Seal trades through leadership training, mentorship opportunities, networking events and mental health supports.
   Funding amount: $2,467,732
   Region: Alberta
   British Columbia
   Manitoba
   Nova Scotia
   Ontario
   Quebec
   
   
10. Organization: Temiskaming Native Women's Support Group  
    Project title: Addressing Barriers and Enhancing the Recruitment and Retention of Indigenous Women in Red Seal Trades
    Description: Project will support the recruitment and retention of 200 Indigenous women apprentices in Red Seal trades.
    Funding amount: $2,604,211
    Region: Ontario (Kirkland Lake)
    
    
11. Organization: Syndicat québécois de la construction (SQC)
    Project title: Programme de recrutement et de maintien des apprenties du SQC
    Description: Project will partner with recruiting firms to recruit, retain and help women apprentices in Quebec succeed in the Red Seal trades.
    Funding amount: $2,582,097
    Region: Quebec (Montréal)
    
    
12. Organization: Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD)
    Project title: L'Initiative de la CSD pour les femmes des métiers spécialisés
    Description: Project will increase access to 20 Red Seal trades in Quebec for 400 women apprentices by supporting their learning and success, facilitating the delivery of information workshops across schools, and facilitating mentoring collaborations.
    Funding amount: $941,903
    Region: Quebec (Québec)
    
    
13. Organization: MAP Strategic Workforce Services Inc.
    Project title: New Boots - Building Retention for Tradeswomen of New Brunswick
    Description: Project will offer long-term sustainable solutions to the retention barriers faced by tradeswomen and their employers and unions in New Brunswick.
    Funding amount: $857,176
    Region: New Brunswick (Saint John)
    
    
14. Organization: Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency
    Project title: Advancing Women in Apprenticeship
    Description: Project will launch women-led events and engage employers in creating safe and respectful work environments to help recruit, retain, support and advance women apprentices within Nova Scotia.
    Funding amount: $2,578,162
    Region: Nova Scotia (Halifax)
    
    
15. Organization: Flat Bay Band Inc. 
    Project title: K'Taqmkuk Women in Trades Initiative
    Description: Project will raise awareness, create opportunities, mentor, and assist Indigenous women on the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador in pursuing Red Seal trades.
    Funding amount: $1,521,365
    Region: Newfoundland and Labrador (Flat Bay)

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada