The province is trying to encourage women to enter the skilled trades a pair of partnerships.
The province is investing $400,000 in a partnership with several groups to create a women-in-trades mentorship program. The funds will also work to identify “broader services” to support women working in the trades.
“Two third of the jobs that will be available are because of people that are retiring.” Jobs Minister Shirley Bond said “We need to make sure that we are encouraging those groups that are under represented in the workforce, including women, first nations and persons with disabilities.”
In addition, Bond announced that the B.C. government has signed an agreement with the Electrical Joint Training Committee for $350,000 to help improve mentorship and skills development for all apprentices in the B.C.’s construction sector.
She says the province needs to reach women early when they are exiting school and making career decisions “and lay out career paths starting much earlier in a student’s life”
The province says the percentage of females who are registered apprentices is at 10.4%, up from 8.5% in 2009.
(Files from MYPRINCEGEORGENOW)