Toronto, Ontario – George Brown College and Hilti Canada partnered up to help women find careers in the trades.
Hilti Canada will contribute $40,000 to help expand George Brown College’s Women Transitioning to Trades and Employment (WTTE) program.
The provincial government funded the establishment of the WTTE in order to increase the economic security of low-income women by providing opportunities for women in skilled trades.
“Skilled trades play a vital role in our economy and our society. Skilled tradespeople build, maintain, and repair the infrastructure that connects us all. But the barriers to entry for women are well-known,” said Kizzy Bedeau, director of community partnerships at George Brown College.
“With a significant skilled trades shortage on the horizon, it’s essential that we do everything we can to support women who wish to enter the trades. This partnership will open pathways to opportunity for women who wish to pursue careers in the trades, while also building the highly-skilled, inclusive workforce that Canada needs.”
The partnership aims to reduce the barriers to entry into trades for women and other underrepresented groups by offering scholarships, career planning, networking, mentoring/coaching, as well as employment opportunities.
“Hilti Canada is excited to be able to work with George Brown College and our team members are looking forward to supporting these courageous women in the WTTE program who are choosing to enter a non-traditional workforce,” said Dan Wade, the general manager of Hilti Canada.
“We are looking forward to helping educate and train these pioneers to bring more diversity and inclusion to job sites around Canada.”
Hilti Canada is also donating approximately $100,000 worth of training tools so that students can start well equipped. The graduates of the program will also get new toolkits to lessen the financial impact of having to buy new tools.
