b'COVEREducation them and learn the about the opportunities aWomenBuildingFutures,located Educating youth early about careers in thecareer in the trades can offer. Skills OntarioinEdmonton,hasindustry-recognized skilledtradesisanotherstepinnotonlyhosts additional programs for girls ages 7-12. training for women who want to get into attractingmoreworkersingeneral,butSchoolsthecountryoverhavebegunthe construction, maintenance and driving morefemaleworkers.Exposingteenagersoffering training for women. The Gatewayindustries. They also offer affordable housing towhatthetradescanofferbutevento the Building Trades for Women programand constant encouragement along the way.girls at the primary school level are open to finding a cool careerand teaching themofferedthroughOkanaganCollege,forInJulyofthisyear,theAdvancing that women will not only be respected butexample, teaches safety and hands-on expe- WomeninApprenticeshipprojectwas welcome in the trades, can have an impact. rience in a variety of trades, for those womenannounced,whichentails$2.5million Its important to remember that advanceswhoareinterestedbutunsureofwhereprovided to advance women in the trades in technology and innovation are changingto begin. in Nova Scotia.theconstructionindustry.Ourfuture depends on the intelligence and curiosity of young peopleboys and girls. We need to change the mindset around pursuing careers in the trades. University isnt the only path to success. The skills required for todays careers in construction are diverse and technological, and also involve an aptitude for being orga-nized and detail-oriented, says Van Buren.Moskal echoes that sentiment: We need to normalize the trades as a career option for females. We need to let employers who are lookingtodiversifytheirworkforceknow how and where to find us. We need to make parents understand the benefits of a career in the trades, she says.According to Statistics Canada, 93.5 per cent of workers in Canada in the trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations in 2018 were male, meaning just 6.5 per cent were female.ResourcesOver the past 10 years, Skills Ontario has hostedtheYoungWomensConferences, held in conjunction with the Skills Ontario Competition. The conferences are a means for girls in senior elementary and secondary school to speak to women who already work in the trades, to practice networking, partici-pate in hands-on learning, find what interests www.rcabc.org l15'