Minister Davis Highlights National Recognition of Province’s Support Model for Female Apprentices

  • Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
  • Executive Council

February 25, 2019

Newfoundland and Labrador’s support model for female apprentices has been recognized as a national best practice. The Government of Canada has announced $3.2 million in funding over three and a half years to the Canada’s Building Trades Unions to replicate the Newfoundland and Labrador Office to Advance Women Apprentices model in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The Provincial Government invests more than $1 million annually in the Office to Advance Women Apprentices which supports women who wish to work in non-traditional skilled trades and progress to journeyperson certification.

This funding enables the office to deliver wrap-around services that provide:

  • A coaching and mentoring model for women apprentices, pre-apprentices and employers;
  • A training component to assist employers, unions, women apprentices and pre-apprentices in identifying, addressing and eliminating barriers;
  • Promotion of apprenticeship to women across the province;
  • Job recruitment strategy through a subsidy; and
  • A registry database of female tradespersons within the province.

To date, the Office to Advance Women Apprentices has helped 154 women achieve journeyperson certification and created more than 1,200 employment opportunities for women throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Supporting female apprentices delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to strengthen the province’s economic foundation and deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

Quotes
“I thank our province’s highly-skilled and hard-working female apprentices and journeypersons. Your passion for the skilled trades and dedication to progressing in your careers is now being recognized across the country. I commend the Office to Advance Women Apprentices, employers, and everyone who has played a role in this incredible success.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

“The Office to Advance Women Apprentices plays an essential role in the success of women working in skilled trades in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are pleased to work closely with them on our shared efforts to improve the economic status of women in our province, and we congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”
Honourable Carol Anne Haley
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

“Women in non-traditional skilled trades in Newfoundland and Labrador have made great advancements and these tradeswomen are changing the structure of society and what was once known as a man’s career. The Office to Advance Women Apprentices is proud to be able to share this successful model with other jurisdictions across Canada and is thankful for the support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, trades unions, employers, and trades colleges in this province who continue to work to make it a success.”
Karen Walsh, Executive Director
Office to Advance Women Apprentices, Newfoundland & Labrador

“The Atlantic Canada Regional Council shares in the success that the Office to Advance Women Apprentices has accomplished under the management of Carpenters Local 579 and is honoured to have the opportunity to host the office that will be set up in Nova Scotia. Women in trades are a vital part of our industry and we look forward to increasing the diversification of skilled trades for all sectors.”
Debbie Romero
Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Atlantic Canada Regional Council
Carpenters, Millwrights and Allied Workers

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Learn more
Office to Advance Women Apprentices external link icon

The Way Forward

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Media contacts
Ryan Crocker
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 709-725-9595
RyanCrocker@gov.nl.ca

Nancy Hollett
Women’s Policy Office
709-729-4934, 725-6078
NancyHollett@gov.nl.ca

Karen Walsh
Office to Advance Women Apprentices
709-757-5434, ext. 240
kwalsh@womenapprentices.ca

Debbie Romero
Atlantic Canada Regional Council
902-454-5100, ext. 210
dromero@acrc.ca

2019 02 25 9:40 am