THUNDER BAY — Many trades are still seen as male-dominated, so in recognition of International Women’s Day, high-school girls were learning hands on that trades are an option for them.
On Thursday, The Lakehead Public School Board took 30 female students to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 402 for activities.
Each of the mentors at the excursion were female and working in the field.
Rudy O’Brien, network cabling specialist, said lots of women overlook trades.
“The reality is, sometimes women happen to be a little more organized, we're a little more detail oriented, and I think that that is something that we actually excel at.
“In the past women maybe thought that they didn't have the strength or the ability to do it, but we're smart, we're capable, and we're strong,” she said.
It’s important to look into the trades for everyone, O’Brien said.
“It's things going forward in the future we're always going to need. It's always evolving and changing, but looking at the trades is great.
“If you think about it, you can get out of high school, do a four- or five-year trade, and that entire time you've been making money. I always tell my kids if you can do a trade first, the worst thing that's going to happen is you're going to have skills that you can use for the rest of your life,” she said.
Ashley Kirkham, Grade 11 student at Westgate, said she is interested in getting into trades.
“I've been in welding and construction classes and I really enjoy that. Anything really to do with trades.”
Kirkham is still exploring the world of trades, and was excited to have this opportunity.
“It brings girls together into workforces that are more for guys per se. To have women be able to work in the same workforces as boys and possibly be better, really incorporates all gender systems,” she said.
Roger Drcar, specialist high skills major lead at Lakehead Public Schools, said the day is about awareness.
“Most skilled trades are male dominated and there's no reason for that. Females can do the work just as well as males can do it.”
Having female mentors was an important part of the experience, he added
“I just think for both females and males it breaks down the stigma that females don’t belong in the skilled trades, but also the young females can see that there's other females in this trade,” Drcar said.
In the afternoon, the girls were brought to Confederation College's Aviation Centre which celebrated women in aviation this week.
