Attracting women to jobs in construction

Mentorship is key to bringing more females into non-traditional roles
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
by Marie-France Venneri

Traditionally, construction has not been a field known to entice many women. But times are changing. Through government, industry and organizations, like Canadian Construction Women (CCW), there is a growing commitment to increasing women’s representation in non-traditional roles.

This progress has been tracked recently through several Canadian surveys. According to one by Statistics Canada, an increase in women’s presence in the work force occurred between the years 1976 to 2009. The survey also noted a rise in the number of women graduating from post-secondary institutions. In 2007, 61 per cent of university graduates were women compared to 56 per cent in 1992.

The trades, however, have always seen a disproportionate number of men to women. In 2007, out of a total of 24,495 individuals who completed an apprenticeship training program, females accounted for 2,780, or just 11 per cent. In 1991, the percentage was only 6 per cent.

Based on survey results like these, the construction sector council published a paper in February 2010, titled: “The State of Women in Construction in Canada.” One of the main factors listed as a barrier to entry was the lack of female role models and mentors.

Today, organizations like CCW are helping to change this. Through their network of women in the industry—from construction project managers to a variety of trades women—women are being paired together for mentorship or even just for simple guidance. It is becoming a great resource for women in the Vancouver construction industry, one that will hopefully lead to more job satisfaction and broader interest in the sector. Also, many schools today are encouraging women to join the trades, meaning there is more opportunity in construction for women than ever before.

The following is a list of key resources for women in the construction industry:

1. The BC Government job plan website lists several programs and services to help people gain skills and find employment. Under the Women in Trades Training section see: www.itabc.ca/women-trades/overview. This is a great resource for learning about different trades, ways of getting trained and funding opportunities.

2. TradeWorks is an organization based in Vancouver that provides carpentry training to women and youth with multiple barriers to employment: www.tradeworks.bc.ca.

3. BCIT Trades Discovery for Women provides an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in a variety of different trades with the goal to help find the one trade that the student is passionate about: www.bcit.ca/study/programs/1190acert.

There are many challenges and unique situations in construction where it is beneficial to have people with a variety of backgrounds working on a solution. Women can provide a different perspective and contribute to a balanced work environment.

Marie-France Venneri, P.Eng, LEED AP BD+C, is a mechanical engineer at AME Consulting Group with eight years of experience in the industry. She is also currently the vice president of the Canadian Construction Women and has been involved with CCW since 2008.

 

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