Actions that have been taken to get more young women into skilled trades in construction have had success but there’s still a lot more work to be done to boost the numbers to an appropriate level.
That was the prevailing message delivered recently by several speakers at the fifth annual Women in Construction webinar that was hosted by the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) in partnership with the Ontario Residential Council of Construction Associations.
Government programs, marketing campaigns and events like career fairs have helped to boost the number of women enrolling in construction apprenticeship programs, something the industry should be proud of, an audience of industry representatives, stakeholders and organizations were told, but for the most part women are still underrepresented in the industry.
“The numbers tell a story we should all be proud of,” explained Candice White, CEO and registrar at Skilled Trades Ontario (STO), who was also the keynote speaker at the two-hour event. “Women are entering the skilled trades in record numbers now. But let’s be honest. Progress doesn’t mean parity.”
Indeed, the number of women working in skilled trades and other occupations in the construction industry has been steadily rising for the last seven years, thanks in large part to legislative changes that are making jobsites more welcoming to women and the fact funds are being pumped into training programs aimed at improving recruitment and retention of women.
However, latest figures show the industry is still mostly male-dominated. In Ontario, women represent roughly five per cent of construction apprentices. Meanwhile, historical data indicates women are more likely to drop out of apprenticeship training programs than men.
“In construction, especially, we still see too few women represented,” said White.
The main reason?
It seems age-old stereotypes still plague the industry and, because of the limited number of women in construction, there are relatively few mentors for new recruits to interact with.
“There are mentorship gaps and lingering stereotypes of what a typical tradesperson looks like,” explained White. “That’s why we need to intervene early to change perceptions, open doors and to make sure women cannot only enter skilled trades careers but stay and grow and lead them.”
STO is taking “concrete action” to build a more inclusive skilled trades system that reflects the full talent of the province by modernizing the apprenticeship system, so it is easier to navigate, noted White. It is also streamlining processes and simplifying the pathways, while using data to understand where women are entering the system and where they’re being lost.
Through career fairs, the government is also helping young women “see themselves in these careers early on,” she said.
White recently attended a couple of career fairs and found it refreshing to see young women on virtual welding equipment, using hammers and drills and doing so with smiles on their faces.
Last year alone, more than 30,000 students attended Level Up! skilled trades career fairs across Ontario, and nearly half of those were young women.
“It’s been amazing to watch them try our VR tools and see their eyes light up as they imagine themselves in this work. Those moments matter because they’re not just discovering the trades, they’re meeting women – and women who are mentoring the next generation,” said White.
The latest marketing campaigns, meanwhile, highlight real women thriving in their chosen trades.
“They’re leaders, entrepreneurs and role models who are reshaping what leadership looks like,” said White. “These stories remind us that leadership takes many, many forms and when women can see themselves in these roles they can imagine a future with no real limits – and that message is resonating.”
Charmaine Williams, associate minister of women’s social and economic opportunity, said in a taped message that although women still make up a fraction of Ontario’s construction workforce and less than 30 per cent of workers in the overall skilled trades, the situation is changing.
“There has never been a better time for women to land and secure well-paying jobs in the building trades than right now.”
The province has brought in new laws aimed at making construction workplaces more accessible and welcoming for women, she said, which includes mandated properly fitting PPE for women and diverse body types, clean washrooms and menstrual products on larger sites.
Ontario Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini said there is plenty of opportunity for women as Ontario will need more than 500,000 trades over the next decade.
“With one in three retiring, who’s going to build the highways, roads and hospitals our province so desperately needs? That’s why we’re helping Ontario tradeswomen break down barriers and build our province – one project, one career, one success story at a time.
Through programs like the Skills Development Fund, the government is supporting mentorship training and opportunities so every woman can build a career for life,” said Piccini.
