b'FEATUREOutreach to the employer community is still required. There are many employer CREATING AWARENESS AND INTEREST champions who are leading the way and Conference participants identified specific action items that schoolcan show others how to reap the benefits teachers, guidance counsellors, school administrators and non-profitof a diverse workforce.organizations could take to promote skilled-trades careers: Employersfindabusinesscase Awareness about skilled-trades careers forhiringandretainingwomenin thetrades.Benefitsincludeenhanced Create a Kindergarten to Grade 12 career awareness strategy problemsolvingonthejob,better Start promoting skilled-trades careers earlier productivity, and improved health and Ask tradeswomen to talk to students about skilled trades careers safety. Increasing the number of women Challenge gender stereotypes and take gender out of career exploration intradeswillhelpemployersaddress Make sure career assessment tools are not gender biased skillsshortages.CAFresultsshow Teach girls how to research career options, find accurate information167,793 new apprentices are needed in and advocate for their training and career advancement the top 10 Red Seal trades in the next fiveyears, Watsonexplainsaboutthe Host workshops for teachers and guidance counsellors aboutvery real benefits of having women in encouraging girls to consider skilled-trades occupations the trades. Develop a standard presentation explaining the apprenticeship pathway, opportunities available and steps to completionEnsure girls take math and science courses throughout high school so they are prepared for apprenticeships "Early access to hands-Be clear about what it is like to work on a pipeline or in a camp so individuals have an accurate understanding of the working conditions on learning experiences Hands-on learning opportunitiesOffer hands-on try-a-trade learning opportunities at school in the trades creates Host all-female trades summer camps for students in Grades 4 to 10Make a Trades and Technology course a mandatory high school credit awareness of the Ensure gender biases do not prevent female students from taking high school trades classes possibilities for careers Make sure there are enough spots in classrooms so everyone can participateHave female students demonstrate their skills to their parents in the skilled trade."Bring youth to trades open houses Shawn Watson, Manager of Communications & Events,Canadian Apprenticeship ForumBUILD aAt the 2019 conference, CAF hosted discussionforrecommendationsfor sustainablechange,wheredelegates MORE shared progress, new ideas, thoughts on what still needs to change, who needs to be involved and how to get women there.Fromthere,anapprenticeship WITH BEACON community taskforce was established to review the upcoming CAF-FCA National StrategytoSupportWomeninthe Trades, which will be unveiled at the 2020 National Apprenticeship Conference.12510 82 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 3E8 The group has also been tasked with 314 Totom Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1X 5C2 beacon-canada.com establishingasystemtomeasurethe participationofwomeninapprentice-ships and careers in the skilled trades.24lROOFINGBC l SUMMER 2019'