WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Women in Trades &
Technology program has been helping women access
careers in the trades for more than three decades
For more than 30 years, the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Women
in Trades & Technology (WI!) program has encouraged
women to think about non-traditional career options and addressed
barriers that may limit their participation in these "elds. Greatly
in#uenced by the women who founded Saskatchewan Tradeswomen in
the 1970s, a movement that eventually formed Saskatchewan Women in
Trades and Technology (SaskWI!), Sask Polytech’s WI! program recognizes
now, more than ever, the array of opportunities awaiting women
in traditionally male occupations and, in turn, the great opportunity that
women a$ord the industries that hire them.
“Women bring to the job site more than the hard skills they learn in their
programs of study,” said WI! program head Bri%any Grimsdale. “Diversity
in the workforce o&en means new ideas, and di$erent areas of strength.”
WI! encourages exploration, o$ering a range of programs and
events, including camps, info sessions, courses and mentorship. 'e Girls
Exploring Trades and Technology, or GE!, camp that launched in 1991
has grown from one-day to "ve-day camps – reaching over 3,600 girls in
grades six, seven and eight in a program aimed at demystifying trades and
tools in a fun environment with a focus on problem solving. Camps have
expanded in subject area in recent years to include those with a technology
focus. During this past year, programs and camps shi&ed online to accommodate
COVID-19 restrictions to in-person learning.
WI!’s Exploratory Workshops teach women aged 15 and older
basic carpentry, welding, electrical or plumbing skills, and a separate
technology-focussed exploratory course introduces women to a variety of
basic technology skills. Says a past participant, “'e WI! program helped
me discover potential careers that I wouldn’t have realized before taking
part in one of their workshops. With the help of some wonderful people
at WI! I was given the encouragement and con"dence to decide the next
step towards my future.”
An informal mentorship program run by WI! goes beyond curriculum
to match students and apprentices with experienced professionals. Women
are matched on "eld of expertise, family situation or cultural background.
'e mentorship program includes a few networking events throughout the
year, which are great opportunities for the women to discuss challenges,
celebrate wins and learn about new job opportunities.
'e global pandemic has made the future unclear for many sectors, but
for the heavy construction industry one thing remains clear: Saskatchewan
continues to grow, and the provincial government remains commi%ed to
stimulating economic recovery by investment in capital projects as demonstrated
by their $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan announced in May 2020.
Construction and related industries will need skilled and trained workers
to capitalize on opportunities and rise to new challenges. Saskatchewan
Polytech’s WI! program is helping to ensure that there is diversity within
the pool of available hires, bene"%ing everyone.
To learn more. visit saskpolytech.ca/wi!.
Building
Rewarding
Careers for
Women
in Trades
By Saskatchewan Polytechnic
FILIPPO COLIZZA / 123RF
thinkbigmagazine.ca | Quarter 2 2021 | Think BIG 45
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