YWCA will study gender bias in trades
Research will examine what’s wrong with tech and trades as taught in high school, that may be deterring women
Young women interested in technology and the skilled trades are about to get a leg up thanks to a funding boost from the federal government.
Status of Women Canada announced Wednesday that YWCA Hamilton will receive $362,780 to help encourage young women to pursue work in two lucrative — but traditionally male-dominated — fields: tech and the trades.
The money will help build on the work the YWCA has done to promote gender equality, said Denise Christopherson, CEO of YWCA Hamilton.
“Every year we see thousands and thousands of dollars going into skilled trades within the education system, but we’re not seeing the number of women increase,” Christopherson said.
“They are good jobs — but more importantly, our labour force is going to need women applying for these jobs.”
The funding is part of a $3.2 million package awarded to nine different projects in Ontario aimed at advancing gender equality.
The YWCA project — the one in Hamilton to receive a slice of this funding — will address genderbased barriers in tech and the trades in the secondary education system, with the co-operation of the public and Catholic school boards.
The YWCA will conduct a “gender-based analysis” of current practices, including how the trades and technology are currently taught in schools.
The study will also identify best practices when it comes to engaging young female students in technical fields and skilled trades.
Finally, the funding will allow the YWCA to come up with a strategy to engage young women, educators, and parents, as well as modify the curriculum and develop teaching tools that will help draw young women into the skilled trades and technology.
As part of this project, three local women involved in the YWCA project will become part of an advisory group of 150 women leaders across the country. These leaders will work together as part of a “pan-Canadian network” to support feminist action for gender equality at the national level, according to Status of Women Canada.
The three participants are Angela Pappin, vice-president of technology at ArcelorMittal; Sandra Pizzuti, superintendent of education at the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic School Board; and Laura Romano, superintendent of student achievement at the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board.
For Christopherson, the funding is a big step in the right direction when it comes to promoting gender equality in Canada.
However, she cautions that gender equality shouldn’t just be project-based — it should be a systemic mindset across every government ministry and agency.
“We hear a firm commitment, but I would like to see more investment from multiple ministries,” she said.
“We’re going to continue to ask for more.”