Victoria, British Columbia — Camosun College has received a $1.285 million donation the college says will help open the doors to more women pursuing a career in a range of Red Seal trades programs.
The gift from The Gwyn Morgan and Patricia Trottier Foundation is the second time the foundation has supported the Empowering Women in the Trades program and is a five-year commitment. It represents the largest philanthropic gift in the history of the college outside of estate gifts.
“There has never been a more incredible opportunity for women to enter the skilled trades,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “With more than 85,000 job openings expected in the skilled trades over the next decade, programs like Empowering Women in Trades help support a more diverse workforce in high-demand fields such as carpentry and welding.”
In 2017, the Gwyn Morgan and Patricia Trottier Foundation made a $1,000,000 pledge to create this incredibly important and successful program.
This, the second pledge will ensure the program will continue to grow and support women over the next five years. The College has great ambitions when it comes to changing the demographics of the trades and this gift will help support this.
As a result of the women-specific programs at Camosun, more than 1,000 women have gone on to pursue a career in high-demand areas such as automotive.
“Camosun is very proud of its work to improve access for students, particularly among underrepresented groups, and giving them the skills to thrive,” said Lane Trotter, president of Camosun. “The generous support of donors like the Gwyn Morgan and Patricia Trottier Foundation is making a life-changing difference to women seeking to complete Red Seal apprenticeships. Thank you.”
