b"Women Find Rewarding Careers Electrical Contracting in APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING OFFERED JOINTLY BY ECAO AND IBEW By LINDA WHITE, Postmedia Content WorksSponsored by the Joint Electrical Promotion PlanF apprenticeAbbyMcKelvie, Forelectrical deciding to grab the bull by the horns was key to finding a rewarding career that pays well, provides benefits and involves hands-on work that requires critical thinking.IloveitevenmorethanIexpected, McKelvie admits. She decided to become an electricianaftergraduatinguniversitywith a degree in outdoor recreation and tourism and working a year in her field. Today, shes an apprentice with the International Brother-hoodofElectricalWorkers(IBEW)Local 530 in Sarnia. Today, McKelvie is well on her way pursuing twopaths:constructionandmaintenance electrician, 309A, and instrumentation and controltechnician,447A.Offeredjointly by the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO), the management associa-tion for electrical contractors and the IBEW, the largest electrical union in North America, her apprenticeship combines on-the-job and in-classtrainingandallowshertoearn while she learns. numbersarerelativelysmall,buttheiras becoming a foremanbut also as leaders McKelvie appreciates employers and unionspresence is growing. The industry is com- in the union.that provide meaningful support for femalemitted to attracting and supporting female employeesandenjoysthecamaraderieherelectricians, says Cheryl Paron, internationalBrianna Cloutier, a fifth-year apprentice with union provides. Attending an IBEW Can- representative, first district (Canada), IBEW.IBEW Local 115 in Kingston, says one of the adianWomensConference,forinstance,things she enjoys most about being an electri-allowed her to meet 200 fellow electricians,While its more common to see women oncian is the variety of work it offers. You can some of whom overcame unwelcoming job- jobsitesintheGreater TorontoAreathanworkinresidential,commercial,industrial sites and helped dismantle barriers for a newsmaller communities, no woman is alone. Theand utilities. Its good to continually chal-generation of female skilled tradespersons inIBEW Womens Committee hosts monthlylengeyourselfbyexperiencingdifferent a male-dominated industry.videoconference calls, allowing women fromaspects of the trade, she says. I completely across the country to be heard without judge- enjoy what Im doing.WhenIgotintothetrade,Ihadneverment while providing opportunities to share even used a drill before, but the point of anbestpracticesandcreateawelcomesenseVisitwww.poweringcommunities.cato apprenticeshipistolearn,McKelviesays.of community.learn more. Youre in charge of your own destiny so it'sYoumightbetheonlywomenonyour really about grabbing the bull by the hornsand going for it.jobsite, but through the committee, you can meet other women in your trade, says Paron.ThisstorywascreatedbyContentWorks, WomenhaveworkedintheconstructionWe also encourage women to take on leader- Postmediascommercialcontentdivision,on trades, including IBEW, for decades. Theirship roles not only within their tradesuchbehalf of the Joint Electrical Promotion Plan.www.ecao.org18"