Who's Who Women in Business

Gender equity should be the norm in all workplaces, but women are still under-represented in many high-reward careers. The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT) is doing something about that, working to increase the number of women in its workforce and in its training programs. MITT Dean Grace Leduc has seen a lot of positive change during her 26 years at the school. While there's still work to be done, she says more young women are entering trades programs — and more often, they are being met by female instructors and mentors. "With our trades programs we are making a conscious effort to recruit female instructors," Leduc says. That number includes a pair of recent hires in the Industrial Welding program: instructors Rachel Paulley and Lynne Schulz. It's a significant change according to Leduc, since the previously male-only complement of instructors is now split 50-50 with women. "For me in particular seeing that, I think that's a real leap forward," says Leduc. MITT develops skilled trades programs that prepare secondary and post-secondary students for careers or continued apprenticeship training. They do so through close collaboration with industry and community partners to identify current skills gaps and labour force needs, and to increase workforce diversity. In recent months, MITT's efforts to attract more women to careers in trades and technology have been bolstered by the province and industry. In April, the Manitoba Construction Sector Council donated $5,000 to help MITT establish the Women in Trades Scholarship and Bursary Fund. Earlier in the year, the Province announced a $25,000 grant to MITT for a new initiative, the Empower Project, aimed at increasing the number of women enrolled in MITT's programs through targeted marketing and recruitment by women for women interested in skilled trades. MITT's Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) group, administered through its Student Services department, provides early support, bringing together students in trades programs to share their experiences and learn from women who have been successful in established careers. "There's a social aspect to WITT, but there's also a component where there are mentors who come in and talk to the group," Leduc says. However, there are still hurdles to overcome. Gender stereotyping persists, influencing the training and career decisions young women make in high school. Often, women who do choose careers in historically male-dominated fields encounter work environments where some of these challenges still exist. On the bright side, as more women go into trades and technology, Leduc believes stereotypes will fall by the wayside, and workplace culture will evolve in tandem. CAD Technician instructor Elaine Penner says her parents—both of whom worked for Manitoba Hydro and brought plenty of shop talk home—and her love math and science steered her toward structural engineering. "It sparked an interest in engineering and construction for me, that I may not otherwise have been exposed to in school," Penner says. "So many people assume you need to go to university to have a good, well-paying career. That's not true at all. Most people in trades and technology careers are paid very well and many own their own businesses or work their way up to management positions if they want to." Penner encourages women to take advantage of every opportunity available to them. "Many women think people will look down on them for checking the box that says female on their application. It's there for a reason — to provide balance. Once more women are in the trades and more young women see women in the trades, it won't be necessary any more." ❚ Learn more at www.mitt.ca. head of the class CHAMPIONING WOMEN IN TRADES AND TECHNOLOGY MANITOBA INSTITUTE OF TRADES AND TECHNOLOGY From left: Janet Hamilton, Instructor, Graphic and Print Technician; Donna Mathieson, Instructional Assistant, MITT YouthBuild; Elaine Penner, Instructor, CAD Technician; Rachel Paulley, Instructor, Industrial Welding; Brianne Dietrich, Instructor, Industrial Electronics; Lynne Schulz, Instructor, Industrial Welding; Grace Leduc, Dean, Principal, MITT High. PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY

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