Women in Nuclear - WiN Canada

There is no glass ceiling in the skilled trades…
November 16, 2011

Chatter and excitement rang through Durham College on Tuesday November 15, 2011, as 65 students from the Durham Region gathered to talk to women working in the skilled trades and technologies. The 4th Annual Skills Work!® For Women" Networking Dinner was sponsored by Women in Nuclear (WiN)-Durham through their funding from OPG.

Peggy Ancker, Chair of WiN-Durham, opened the evening by welcoming the young women and teachers in attendance. “I am very pleased to see over double the number of students here from our last dinner,” said Ancker, commenting on the growth of the dinner since its move to Durham College. Ancker talked about the skilled trades and technologies careers available in the nuclear industry and encouraged them to ask questions of all the mentors throughout the evening.

Mentors from the Durham Region- including Sharon Therrien, Maintenance Technician, Judy Bartley, FLM Civil Maintenance and Lorie Gale-Gervais, Nuclear Operator from OPG- told the female students about what a day-in-the-life of their respective careers looks like. Students learned that a career in the skilled trades is not only great money, but is also creative, allowing workers to use their hands while using their brains. The skills learned would enable them to do their work at home and eliminate the cost of electricians and plumbers. One mentor, emphasizing the diversity of potential career paths available, told the students that there is no ‘glass ceiling’ in the skilled trades. She explained that her career path had taken her from an electrician, to a trade-school teacher, to an inspector, and could lead to her owning her own company some day.
 
A shortage of workers in the skilled trades and technologies is providing more opportunities for young women. These opportunities are addressed in a new position paper that was featured at the dinner. The paper, entitled Women in the Skilled Trades and Technologies – Myths and Realities, co-authored by WiN-Canada and Skills Canada-Ontario, looks at the myths that discourage young women from entering skilled trades careers. The paper also offers recommendations to industry, government and educators on improving recruitment, retention and promotion of women in these careers. The traditionally male-dominated industry is seeking new workers, with the average age of Canada’s skilled trades worker hitting 55, and 40% of retirements expected to take place within the next ten years. Young women have an opportunity to choose a high-paying, life-long career.

For more information on Skills Canada-Ontario visit www.skillsontario.com.
To obtain an electronic copy of the position paper, Women in the Skilled Trades and Technologies – Myths and Realities please visit www.wincanada.org.

Sharon Therrien speaks to students about her career at OPG.

Judy Bartley speaks to students about her career in the skilled trades at OPG.

Lorie Gale-Gervais speaks to students about her career as a nuclear operator at OPG.

Female in Technology (FIT) class attends Skills Dinner.