OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR SKILLED WOMEN IN TRADES
More are overcoming barriers to a career traditionally seen as work for men only
Parity in the trades is something that I’m passionate about. It’s estimated that Canada will be short hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople by 2020. The old crew is retiring, and young people aren’t joining the trades to replace them.
The reason I work with Skills Canada and our Holmes Foundation is because they’re doing great work to encourage passionate young people, regardless of gender to take up the trades as a career.
Because International Women’s Day is approaching, I wanted to talk to my daughter, Sherry, about her experiences as a woman in the trades — and why it matters that we get more women and men involved.
This is our conversation:
Mike: Today we’re talking about International Women’s Day. For people who don’t know, what is that?
Sherry: International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women around the world to acknowledge how far women have come and also highlight some of the things we can do better. This year’s theme is Equality Matters.
Mike: That’s interesting! Why did you choose to work in the trades? Besides the obvious, that you’re my daughter.
Sherry: It’s funny, because I did not want to work in the trades originally. It just wasn’t on my radar — you were the reason I started. You asked me to be openminded, and give it a shot, and I fell in love with it. I think if more women had the opportunity to try a trade, they may find out that it’s meant for them.
Mike: Personally, I’ve noticed after all these years I’ve seen a huge shortage of women on work sites, and I think it was due to the trades being traditionally seen as a man’s world. I’m doing the best I can to encourage more women to get into the trades. We’ve both met female plumbers, electricians, and carpenters who are kicking butt and love what they’re doing. And because they love it, they’re excelling at it. It’s awesome that I have a daughter who works in the trades who acts as a mentor for other women who want to get involved.
Sherry: You had to encourage me in the beginning, but it worked out well. I think that you have to get out of your comfort zone and try. It is intimidating and scary at first, but taking something from a concept to a finished renovation and seeing your vision come to life is so rewarding. I love interior design and putting colours together, but now I’m not only decorating and designing the room, I’m building it, too.
Mike: That’s a great point, Sherry. If you have a knack for design, trying out a skilled trade might be right for you. I’ve watched you do incredible work, and it seems like tiling is your go-to. It’s something that you took to very quickly, and as far as I’m concerned, mastered it. So tell me why tile works for you?
Sherry: I found tile work fun and interesting, and I think it was something that I was, naturally, a little bit better at versus something like mudding a wall. I’m still not a fan of mudding — especially the sanding part. I find the process of tiling to be a lot more satisfying. And I love how a new tile floor or backsplash can transform a room.
Mike: As I watch you go out to talk about a career you love and inspire other young women and men to try the trades, I couldn’t be prouder.
Sherry: Thanks for the lessons, dad. Because we’ve worked together so well, it’s encouraged me to be a mentor to others. I love working with Skills Canada and our Holmes Foundation because they’ve done so much to help increase the number of women pursuing jobs in the construction industry. Remember, Equality Matters; let’s work together and make it right!
Watch Mike Holmes and his daughter, Sherry, in Holmes Makes It Right, on HGTV. For more information, visit makeitright.ca.