FEATURE
We don’t need to tell you that it takes a certain
kind of grit to work in the piling industry. Operating
oversized equipment and being physical
in often-harsh conditions is a demanding
career. Skilled workers who want to get into this line of work
need to know their trade inside and out and be prepared to
work hard on a crew.
Where do you find people with the right stuff?
Some of western Canada’s most capable, prepared and
eager candidates are coming from what traditionalists
would consider an unlikely gender: women.
In fact, Women Building Futures (WBF), the Albertabased
leading organization in trades training for women,
is graduating class after class of impressively skilled and
polished female professionals who are ready to get dirty
in the construction industry.
“Our industry partners value our programs for the unrivalled
level of preparedness that our graduates come out
with. They know what they’re getting into and they have
the drive, tenacity and work ethic they need to succeed
in the construction industry,” said Jacqueline Andersen,
WBF’s director of industry relations.
With a looming labour shortage on the horizon, it’s
critical that the industry consider candidates not historically
found in the construction industry.
“There are a quarter of a million skilled tradespeople
retiring over the next 10 years and there is a smaller pool
of young people to draw from. It’s important to maximize
all sources of labour,” said Rosemary Sparks, executive
director of BuildForce Canada, a national industry-led
organization that works with the construction industry
to provide information and resources to help manage
workforce requirements.
WBF and BuildForce Canada recently partnered to lead
more women into careers in construction while helping
revitalize an industry set to experience a skills shortage
when baby boomers retire in mass numbers over the next
decade. The partnership will create awareness for job
opportunities for women and promote the development
of critical skills required for success.
What’s in it for women?
According to WBF past president JudyLynn Archer,
choosing a career in construction could instantly change
a woman’s life.
“The annual income earned by women working full time
in Canada is currently $32,000 or less. When they join the
construction industry, the average increase in income is 128
per cent on their first day of hire,” said Archer.
For Indigenous women, that number increases even
more dramatically. But despite the huge benefits, encouraging
women to enter the trades industry has not been easy.
Sparks says BuildForce Canada’s research indicates that
women have not traditionally been exposed to occupations
in construction.
“Even today, we’re still in a situation where many
women do not hear about construction as a career option
when going through school and even after they graduate,”
said Sparks.
Andersen says WBF continues to do a lot of outreach and
education to demonstrate that careers in construction are a
viable choice.
“Women don’t see themselves in these roles, although
that’s changing. WBF alumni who have been through the
path and have roles in construction and maintenance are
proof that it opens up whole new lifestyle,” said Andersen.
Still in its infancy, the WBF/BuildForce Canada
partnership is beginning to take shape. WBF marketing
and communications manager, Heather Markham,
says they’re working to change attitudes and norms in
Canadian industry.
“We see each other as a resource. Sharing information
on the labour market is what BuildForce does best. We’re
working together to help provide opportunities for and
demonstrate that women and Indigenous women are a
great source of labour we have as Canadians as we prepare
for the loss of the baby boomers by 2026.”
Why – and how – should the piling industry
engage women?
Archer says industry employers can help smooth the path
to recruit eager new members of their workforce. She
The construction industry
needs to attract more
women to the trades – one
Canadian partnership is
attempting to bridge this gap
By Heather Hudson
PILING CANADA 29