BC Initiatives Promote Careers for Women in Trades

Mar 19, 2018

BC Trades A suite of initiatives will pave the way for women working or entering a career in the building trades through improved workplace supports, services and practices.
Premier Horgan made the announcement following a speech to the BC Building Trades conference on International Women’s Day. “Our construction industry is booming, but we’re facing a shortage of skilled workers in a number of trades,” said Premier Horgan. “Right now, only 5% of apprentices in the construction trades are women. Removing barriers to women’s participation will ensure women can get into these good-paying jobs.”

Less than 3% of working women in the province are in the building trades. A labour-market report released in fall 2017 recommended providing women with workplace supports. It noted that many of the recommended anti-bullying policies and better health and safety practices would benefit everyone on the worksite.

“Changing the culture of trades and focusing on retaining the women currently working in the trades is essential to the future of this industry,” says Lisa Langevin, assistant business manager and journey electrician, IBEW 213. “Those current tradeswomen are excited that we will have the support to pave the road for future women in trades.”
The province has selected two groups to develop a range of programs: the BC Construction Association and the BC Federation of Labour. Services and programs include:

• outreach and mentoring for tradeswomen
• leadership-development training to improve workplace culture by addressing bullying and harassment in the workplace
• employer-human resource supports, including a virtual team to help develop customized workplace policies, plus onsite mediation to manage staff situations
• exemplary employer campaigns to recognize employers

“It’s no secret that women in the construction trades face unnecessary challenges,” says BC Construction Association president Chris Atchison. “The retention rates for tradeswomen are notoriously low, and employers know they need to do better. This funding unites a powerful group of industry partners with a laser focus on improving retention of women, and I see it as a very real opportunity for progress.”

Due to retirement and economic development, around 59,000 job openings are expected in the construction trades in B.C. through to 2027. In-demand trades’ occupations include millwrights, heavy-duty mechanics and carpenters. Increasing the participation of women in the building trades would help to fill many of these job openings and meet labour-market demand.

Funding for the programs is expected to be up to $1.8 million over two years. The programs are funded through the Canada-B.C. Labour Market Development Agreement.

https://www.winnipegconstruction.ca/events/electrical-estimating-fundamentals/

Electrician Forum Brought to you by Schneider Electric

Electrical Industry Canada and the Electrician Forum Need Your Expert Knowledge

As industry experts you know the products you use everyday better than anyone and should have input on what information you receive about products and what could improve them.

Therefore, we want your insight on the biggest challenges or issues you face when installing loadcentres, breakers (CAFI, GFI's…) and other surge protection devices. We ask that you do not provide product specific details but rather your general issues and concerns or any questions that have come to mind while working with these product types. Provide us with your valued expert insight into the issues you have faced so manufacturers can better inform you about the installation and use of these products. Lets generate some discussion that will help guide the Industry.

Make your comments HERE

ABB Wins Major Industry Award for Submersible Transformer Inspection Robot

ABB TXplore On May 30, 2019, ABB was honoured with an Electrical Review Excellence award for its ABB Ability inspection for transformers – TXplore -- in the ‘Power Product of the Year’ category. Electrical Review is the leading electrical industry publication in the UK.

The judging panel, under the leadership of the highly-respected industry figure – Prof. Ian F. Bitterlin, Consulting Engineer and Visiting Professor at University of Leeds, was impressed by the capability of TXplore to make transformer inspection a much safer activity while also boosting asset availability for power grid operators.

Revitalizing an Art Deco Building Through Illumination

Lighting Project Located at one of the busiest retail intersections in Montreal’s downtown core, 1411 Crescent is a beautiful art deco structure built in 1934. Four floors of offices sit above retail space on the northeast corner of Ste-Catherine Street. BTB Real Estate Investment Trust purchased the building in 2018 and with its own team growing, chose to move its company headquarters to the new space. They appreciated the charm of the building, and its ideal location in the Golden Square Mile.

To signify this important move, BTB REIT sought to enhance the building’s façade to make it more impactful on this vital city block.

Finding the Answer

Pick up a newspaper or scan your preferred electronic newsfeed and you’ll likely see a series ...