Women in Nuclear - WiN Canada

Bright and prosperous futures were the topic of discussion for more than 300 students at the Skills Canada Young Women’s Conference on May 4 and 5, at Bingemans Park in Kitchener. “If you want a job where you get to do and learn something new everyday, get to use your creative skills and make great money, the skilled trades is the place for you,” was the message relayed by over 60 mentors who gave up their time to inspire the young women in attendance.

Five WiN-Canada members attended the two-day event to share their career journey and provide a day-in-the-life account of their career with students from across Ontario. Deb Maclay, Mechanical Maintainer; Annette Nisbett, Journeyperson Ironworker; Jen Dillman, Nuclear Operator; and Michelle Brough, Electrician Apprentice all attended from Bruce Power and Anne Giardini, Project Leader/Assessor from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories.

Our WiN mentors spoke with pride, passion and professionalism about their skilled trade, their unions, their companies and the nuclear industry, while inspiring these young female students to consider a rewarding career in the skilled trades and technologies.

Women account for only 9% of registered apprentices in Canada and 52% of skilled tradespeople are set to retire by 2015. These numbers emphasize the importance of Skills Canada events to help deliver the positive benefits of the skilled trades to our up-and-coming female workforce.

The Ontario Technological Skills Competition at RIM Park ran concurrently with the Young Women’s Conference. WiN members, Sue Macleod, from Bruce Power and Judy Bartley from Ontario Power Generation staffed a booth at the competition partnering with Bryan White from the CNS and Kathy & Larry Alderdice from the PWU Trades Up to provide the 30,000 students, parents, teachers and the community in attendance with a hands-on radiological demonstration and information about careers in the nuclear industry.

For more information about WiN-Canada visit www.win-canada.org and Skills Canada at www.skillscanada.com.

Sue Macleod, Kathy & Larry Alderdice and Bryan White at WiN-Canada booth

Annette Nisbett, Michelle Brough, Jen Dillman and Deb Maclay mentored at Skills Canada Young Women's Conference on May 4, 2009.

Anne Giardini, Deb Maclay, Michelle Brough and Annette Nisbett mentored at Skills Canada Young Women's Conference on May 5, 2009.