Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) at Saskatchewan Polytechnic has been part of
the annual Skills Canada Provincial Competition for years and this year provides another
opportunity to engage their core audiences.
WITT is committed to encouraging and assisting women interested in trades and technologies careers. In support of this mission, WITT will host the Women’s Conference as part of the Skills Competition on Friday, April 13 from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Evraz Place, Canada Centre, in Regina.
Girls from grade 9 to 12 from across the province will participate in Women in Trades Exploratory workshops, where they will have opportunities to explore and discuss their interests and assess the possibilities for them in skilled trades in a positive, open environment.
In groups assigned with role models, the young women will tour the ongoing skills competitions happening in the same facility and get an idea of what trade careers look like in action. Baldwin says it is important that girls learn about the more “obscure,” unconsidered trades such as machinists. The projects completed at the Skills Saskatchewan competition provide better examples of what the work entails and, perhaps, a bit of inspiration.
In the afternoon, groups of young women will participate in an engineering activity and make a project with scrap pieces of materials, using both the creative and analytical sides of their minds–much along the lines of the television show Junkyard Wars.
Through role models and exposure to trades and technology careers, WITT is working to inspire young women to look outside the box and realize the many fulfilling options awaiting them in skilled trades and technology careers.
For more information or to register visit saskpolytech.ca/witt.
This story was originally wrote for We Build - Saskatchewan Construction Association's magazine.
Published April 2018.