b'ALEXA SOLOMON It may not always be easy or even possible for all companies to provide everything that female workers want. Mason gives the example of a single mother at Servco who wasnt able to work 12-hour days. Servco was able to reassign her, but Mason acknowledges that this type of support may not be possible for every worker or every company.Masons goal for the committee over her term is to connect like-minded people with each other. Weve started a small campaign [targeting] mentorship; were doing this as a first step to see how many people will apply, she explains. Since theres a huge labour shortage, one of the other big things for us is doing anything we can to support the underrepresented population to get engaged and understand [mechanical construction] is an Alexa Solomon, who works with Ermen Plumbing andoption. We also want them to know theyre not going to be the Heating in Moncton, N.B., is a member of the WiMConly [woman] in the boardroom, not the one in 300, and that committee and a 2022 graduate of New Brunswicktheyre not alone anymore.Community Colleges (NBCCs) plumbing program.Committee Vice Chair Jane Gowing has a long view of the In 2022, she won the Skills Canada NB plumbing competition, as well as the Student Excellence Awardindustry. She graduated from the University of Guelph in the from NBCC. She volunteers to coach softball and helps1980s in Water Resources Engineering and worked her way up with girls softball camps in her spare time. She is alsothrough estimating and project management before starting a donor to Crossroads for Women, a local non-profither own company in 1998. She recently took a new position as agency for women fleeing domestic violence.mechanical process manager for Black & McDonald Limited.There are definitely more women in project management now [compared to the 80s], Gowing says, and while it has been a very slow process, were certainly seeing more women now than ever before. I think that with the skills shortage, people are starting to realize that leaving out 50 per cent of the workforce isnt a good idea.Gowing believes there are still misconceptions in construction that women are not physically strong enough or not sufficiently technically minded to succeed in the industry. However, with the emergence of STEM programs and trade schools targeting female students, she sees this barrier being reduced.I can confidently say none of us [on the WiMC committee] were token [hires], she says. We are all active, important participants in our companies and in the industry. Part of this work is giving back to women who are looking at this [industry] as a career. Ive been a proponent of women in construction for a long time, but it takes someone whos willing to step out of their comfort zone. Its almost chicken-and-eggthere wont be more women [attracted to] construction until there are more womenin construction.She also hopes to collaborate with the provincial and local MCAC chapters in recognizing the role of women in the sector: We need that trickle-down effect. It will benefit everybody, and I think there are a lot of young women out there who will enjoy great careers, but we still have a long way to go.Mechanical construction can be a great career for anybody, and Im happy to get on my soapbox and promote it to women. Ive had a 40-year career through good times and bad times, and I still find it interesting and learn new things every day, Gowing says. So anything that can promote it to women, I think we should be doing [that].34 www.mcac.ca'