LAUNCHER INTO TRADES cont.
FPDI HELPS WINNIPEG WOMAN PURSUE A CAREER IN TRADES BY JANINE LEGAL
Kyla Clarke is a 23-year-old Indigenous woman who grew up in the North End of Winnipeg with a big supportive family. She always had an interest in all sports but wasn’t quite sure where her future would take her, until a few family members shared their experiences of working in trades. “I have two cousins in the trades. One is a plumber, one is a fitter,” said Clarke. “They told me about the work,” she continued. “They told me about the money,” adding that she likes physical work and appreciated the idea of earning a good salary. “It was around 2022. I was scrolling online. My band (reserve) posted about a plumbing and pipes trades course offered by First Peoples Development Inc. (FPDI) [and the Piping Industry Technical College of Manitoba],” she explained. “I just applied through email, was accepted for the interview, did the interview, and was accepted into the program.” Clarke is glad she took those steps back then. She’s now a level 3 steamfitter/pipefitter apprentice working at Servco Canada, a full- service industrial company in Manitoba and, because of her positive experiences, has plans to continue to move forward in the field.
“It changed my life. I get to see new things every day. I get to meet new people every day. I travel all over the province,” she said, and added that she looks forward to employment travel outside the province as well. “I’m more financially stable, I can live on my own, do activities outside. I have more opportunities.” Clarke says she’s gained considerable confidence with on-the-job experience and has learned a lot from her colleagues and profession. Most importantly, she stated, “Always ask questions,” citing this as one of the best ways to learn. With regular assistance from FPDI, Clarke’s experience in the program was made significantly easier. “During the start of the program they supplied us with tools and a tool kit. The program was free. They got me to Local 254. They helped me get on EI and were there for anything I need in the program. Recently they reached out to me and said if I need anything to let them know.” With four levels in the program to full journeyperson, Clarke recently completed level 2 schooling and is now a level 3 steamfitter/ pipefitter. She has plans to eventually get her Red Seal fitter ticket and recommends training for
employment in the trades to other women. “They don’t discriminate against women. They don’t treat you different. They might help you more because they want to make sure you don’t get hurt.” Clarke enjoys the variety of responsibilities on the job and the learning that comes with all of them. “There’s actually various [tasks]; it depends on the job you’re on. With a journeyman, they’ll teach you. We run and grab tools for them, take measurements, and put pipes together. Right now, I’m working with plastic PVC. I’ve done welding on a previous job.” She says the profession would be a good fit for anyone who’s in good shape and not afraid of physical work. “It is very challenging – there’s some heavy lifting – if you like to challenge yourself and get a good workout... and you have to be hard-working.” FPDI’s LauncHER into trades was instrumental in helping Clarke pursue her career and receive ongoing support.
To learn more about LauncHer into Trades, go to fpdinc.ca/program/ launcher-into-trades
10 CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
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