Women in Skilled Trades (WiST)

About Women in Skilled Trades (WiST)

Women in Skilled Trades (WiST) is a comprehensive program that includes a variety of activities aimed at promoting the value and role of women in the skilled trades. The program includes trade events in multiple locations across Canada, leadership academies for women, and research on needs related to entrance and retention of women in skilled trades and transitioning to sustainable trade practices. 

Events

We are proud to present a variety of workshops, trade expos, and networking events throughout Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia from 2024 - 2026. We will be working with national and local partners to provide regionally specific event programming in hopes to build the next generation of leaders in Skilled Trades. These events will emphasize inclusive hiring practices for employers, explore research trades, and provide space for women within the early years of their careers (0-5) to network and understand how to advance their goals in this ever changing industry.

We will be delivering two large scale events in selected provinces each year with the cumulative hope of creating a network of changemakers in the sector. These events will be co-produced with partners with the hope of reaching over 2000 women in the three years of this Women in Skilled Trades Project.

Partnerships

  • Are you a visionary whose story needs to be told? Are you a company or organization that shares our values and mission and are hoping to collaborate?

    Skills for Change is looking to build multi-year partnerships with organizations who have an interest in guiding the conversation of Women in Skilled Trades. We are looking for partners in Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

    We’d love to connect with you, if you have strengths in:

  • Research

  • Inclusive Hiring Practices

  • Employer Relations

  • Events

  • Leadership Development

    Contact Us (partnerships@skillsforchange.org)

Leadership Academy

The WIST Leadership Academy will support newcomer and racialized women facing multiple barriers and who are emerging apprentices and interested in a career in the skilled trades to succeed in Red Seal trades.

We will provide participants across the country with specialized leadership training, networking, mentorship, and mental health support to build a holistic pathway to employment in the skilled trades. The objectives of the leadership academy include providing educational training, leadership development, and networking opportunities to increase retention rates of women apprentices.

  • This program will be launched in February 2024 and run until March 2026.

  • We are looking to accept 200 women in four cohorts from across the country.

  • The initiative will be hybrid with opportunities for on-site events.

  • Each cohort will run for 12 weeks.

Events & Partnerships

Skills for Change is proud to present a variety of conferences, workshops, trade expos, and networking events throughout Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia – delivered in partnership with national and local partners! These events emphasize inclusive hiring practices for employers, explore research in the trades, and provide space for women within the early years of their careers to network and understand how to advance their goals in this ever-changing industry.  

If interested in partnering with us, contact us: partnerships@skillsforchange.org

Women in Skilled Trades - Leadership Academy

The WiST Leadership Academies support women apprentices in Red Seal trades, particularly newcomer and racialized women, with education and community building opportunities that focus on greening the trades, leadership learning and development, mental health and wellbeing, safety and inclusion, career planning, and networking opportunities.

The upcoming Leadership Academies will be hosted live, in person in the Peel region.  

  • Date: To be confirmed (August and October 2025) 

  • Location: To be confirmed 

Women in Skilled Trades (WiST) Survey

Our in-house research team has designed a national survey to capture the perspectives, perceptions, and experiences of both skilled trades employers and women (both currently in and not yet in the trades). This survey also gathers some high-level information on the role of skilled trades employers, and interests of women, in advancing climate activism and sustainability. Our perception is that as Canada’s green economy demands workers with knowledge and skills in climate change and environmental sustainability, these insights will be valuable to the next iteration of WiST.

Scan the QR Code below or click on the link to take the survey.

The data from this survey are crucial for us. Key findings and analysis from this survey data will inform an extensive collection of knowledge mobilization products, including conference presentations, scholarly publications, and shareable infographics, which will include province-based examinations of the skilled trades sector in the five provinces: British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. This allows for comparisons across geographic contexts and supports further program and policy development at both the provincial and national levels. Conference presentations, scholarly publications, and shareable infographics ensure wide distribution of learnings to help the sector design strong training programs, influence public policy, and advance both environmental sustainability and gender equity.   

Available in English and French

Scan the QR Code

Survey Details

  • English and French

    • Women interested in or involved in skilled trades 

    • Employers of skilled trades 

    • Career interests 

    • Practical/perceived barriers to pursuing a career in skilled trades 

    • Existing/desirable career advancement opportunities 

    • Interests and experience with green initiatives and sustainability practices 

    • Hiring and retention practices 

    • Career advancement and networking opportunities 

    • Green economy and sustainability 

  • November 15, 2025

Our Funders and Sponsors

Funded in part by: 

Corporate Sponsor: