Women in the Trades

Below are a few notable organizations whose mandate it is to offer encouragement, mentorship, and support to women interested in a career in the trades.

Build Together Nova Scotia

Build Together is a national initiative of Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) that promotes, supports, and mentors women in the skilled construction trades.

Build Together Nova Scotia was officially launched in April 2018. The Nova Scotia Chapter consists of women from the Insulator, Electrical, Ironworker, Plumber/Pipefitter, Labourer, Operating Engineers, and Carpenter unions with representation from Halifax to Cape Breton.

Build Together:

• Provides mentorship and support to apprentices, journeypersons, and women considering a career the trades;
• Challenges and debunks existing myths and stereotypes of women in the trades;
• Provides awareness and exposure to careers in the trades;
• Promotes retention and challenges policy makers and industry on the barriers that prevent the retention of women in the industry;
• Works to create more inclusive, respectful, and diverse workforces and workplaces.

Office to Advance Women Apprentices

The Office to Advance Women Apprentices provides ongoing support to tradeswomen who are seeking work or who are already employed in the skilled trades. This includes providing career services, employment supports, and networking opportunities for tradeswomen. The Office to Advance Women Apprentices has partnerships with employers, trades unions, government, and training institutions to assist in accomplishing these goals.

The organization has expanded and now has six provincial offices across the country: Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

Women Unlimited

Women Unlimited is designed to assist diverse unemployed and underemployed women in exploring, preparing for, obtaining, and maintaining employment in the trades and technology fields. Located at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Lunenburg Campus in Bridgewater, the IT Campus in Halifax, the Akerley Campus in Dartmouth, and the Marconi Campus in Sydney, this project is designed to help women entering trades and technology programs to find their places in the labour market.

Techsploration

Techsploration provides opportunities for young women in grades 9 through 12 to explore science, trades, and technology occupations, while also creating awareness about the critical role of work in their lives.

Techsploration, a not-for-profit organization, is a joint initiative of:

• Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
• Women in Trades and Technology (WITT-NS)
• Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education, Apprenticeship Training Division