Supporting young women and gender-diverse youth into the trades

Published On

July 5, 2024

There are life-changing opportunities in the skilled trades and transportation. At Women Building Futures, we get young women and gender-diverse individuals to start thinking about these careers while still in high school.

Our Youth Engagement Strategy provides opportunities for youth to explore careers in the skilled trades. Our programs, such as our try-a-trade events, offer hands-on experience to young people and connect them with our experienced alumni.

We hosted a try-a-trade event earlier in March, which gave Jade, a graduate of Jasper Place High School, a glimpse of the exciting opportunities the skilled trades have to offer. “In just 1 hour, we learned about the different tools and what each one does in all sorts of trades, such as plumbing and carpentry. I felt I had the best experience in carpentry because we had such a great host, Emily, and she taught us how different sanders made wood smooth,” says Jade.

After joining our try-a-trade event, Jade applied and was accepted into our Journey to Trades program. “I wanted to join Journey to Trades because it teaches welding, plumping, electrical and carpentry in 17 weeks, and I could get the most out of the 3 months by learning different skill sets rather than just one,” shares Jade.

From an early age, Jade had always shown interest in carpentry; her family works in the trades, and she loves working on projects involving her hands. Jade’s big goal is to build a home for her family, and we look forward to supporting her learning journey to achieve her dreams. “I’m most excited to learn all I can about carpentry in the program, but I am also open to learning and understanding all the other great trades Women Building Future offers,” Jade shares.

We regularly meet with young women and gender-diverse individuals like Jade from high schools across Alberta. Since 2023, we have participated in 50 events and engaged more than 2,700 youth. WBF has hosted 25 try-a-trade events with more than 1,000 youth participants.

Our work with these amazing youth would not have been possible without the support of our partners, Dow Canada, Sherritt International Corporation and TC Energy. Their investment in Women Building Future allows us to support young women and gender-diverse individuals in exploring opportunities in the skilled trades and transportation industry.

Thank you, Dow Canada, Sherritt International Corporation and TC Energy!