9 minute read
INITIATIVES FROM OTHER SECTORS
It is helpful to look at organizations in other similar sectors to see how they are meeting the challenges of increasing the representation of women within the ranks of trade workers. While other industries may face some different challenges than the electricity sector, there are also many parallels and lessons to be learned. Partnering with community groups and government agencies, building awareness and delivering education, and providing forums for female employees to build better connections all figure prominently in the examples presented below.
The Mining Industry Human Resources Council
The Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) is a Canadian independent, non-profit organization that leads collaboration among mining and exploration companies to identify and address the human resource and labour market challenges faced by the minerals and metals sector. This group sees gender inclusion as vital for success, particularly during this period of shortages within the skilled trades.
In 2011, a mining industry group prepared a research paper entitled Take Action for Diversity which examined barriers and solutions to achieving diversity within their sector. Issues encountered by women included such things as:
• A “male dominated” work culture
• A lack of flexible work arrangements including insufficient prior notice of travel, no childcare support and limited parental leave
• A lack of field experience for certain occupations
• Advancement being hindered by work culture; lack of mentors and social networks, perceptions of their abilities; and work-life conflicts
Solutions to help increase female representation within the mining sector included:
• Scholarships to attract and recruit women; targeting recruitment efforts specifically to women; and tapping into external professional women’s networks
• Supportive practices for advancement, including supervisor and senior leadership support; supportive colleagues and teams; professional development and training; and mentorship programs Working with third party consultants, and with funding assistance from the federal government, the MiHR created GEM Works, a program to help eliminate systemic barriers to gender inclusion.
The GEM Works program is available to member companies and consists of three elements:
1. Being a Gender Champion: A one-day workshop to train senior executives to drive organizational change towards a more gender-inclusive workplace. These senior level champions then select Change Agents from within their company who will work through the program.
2. GEM Works Toolbox: A step-by-step guide for Change
Agents to remove unintentional barriers to gender inclusion in written policies and procedures.
3. Online Learning Modules: Four 30-minute interactive modules that explain how to use the GEM Works program and create inclusive workplaces.
a. The Importance of Gender Equity in Mining
b. Exploring Common Systemic Barriers
c. Using the GEM Worksheet
d. Building Organizational Support and Momentum
The mining industry has also experienced challenges obtaining professional-looking clothing and protective equipment suited to women in the trades. One of the suppliers used by companies in this sector has made good progress towards meeting the needs of female trade workers. Covergalls Workwear designs clothing and protective equipment “to ensure a safer, inclusive and more enjoyable work experience for women working in industrial roles.” As stated on their website, “…we realized the market went far beyond mining. Women across all maledominated industries, on all different continents, faced the challenges of men’s work wear. The Covergall is the next step for industries, taking workplace diversity to workplace inclusion.”
Canadian Fire Service
In 2019, the Alberta Fire, Emergency Management and Wildfire Management Women (A FEW Women), and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) Women Fire Chiefs and Company Officers Network of Canada met to discuss the changes that need to occur to enable more women to enter, stay and succeed in the fire services sector. As an outcome of that meeting, they produced a report entitled A Fire Service for All: Exploring Ways to Further Diversity and Inclusivity for Women in the Canadian Fire Industry.
In picturing what the fire service should look like in the future, they focussed on three themes that local fire services could act on now to bring about change:
• People and Infrastructure
a. Outreach & Recruitment - leaders need to ask themselves “How can I make my department more attractive/safer to women” instead of
“How can I recruit more women”.
b. Suitable Station Renovations - that include single-user gender neutral dorms and washrooms, and emergency scene washroom accommodations and supplies.
c. Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment,
Gear & Uniforms - that are designed for the many different body shapes, genders, and sizes of the fire service’s diverse workforce.
• Social and Cultural Environment
a. An inclusive culture - where employee success is not defined by the male perspective and where collaboration is more important than competition. • Managerial Practices
a. Leadership Accountability - to encourage authentic meaningful connections between staff and management and has zero tolerance for any hazing or initiation rituals.
b. Public Celebration of Women - because women leaders need to receive positive reinforcement in order to encourage other women to pursue leadership opportunities.
c. Succession and Mentorship – it is crucial to have structured mentorship programs where women can learn from others and clear succession planning for fire leadership that demonstrates an understanding of diversity and inclusion.
The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs also looked at near term actions they could take to encourage women to join, stay, and succeed within Canada’s fire services.
The actions include:
• Celebration and Identification interviews: This part of the action plan is to identify and recognize the current cadre of women leaders in the fire sector to provide alternate images, data, and mentoring
• Emerging Leader Ally-Assistance: This action item identifies emerging leaders and offers them an opportunity to identify specific real time issues and request a mentor.
• Best Practices Tool Kits: The goal is to collate available tools and resources, as well as “Top Ten Tips” sheets that can help provide guidance on addressing diversity issues.
The CAFC also takes an active role in facilitating the development of female fire service employees who are on the career path to assume leadership roles within their local services. The association works to match potential mentors from within their ranks with high potential members of the fire service across Canada.
J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) has operations in Canada and the United States with business units in such sectors as Construction & Equipment; Hydro Energy; Forestry & Forestry Products; Shipbuilding; and Transportation. JDI has 28 different skilled trades employed across their operations and have a number of initiatives underway to help increase the representation of women.
Pathways to Shipbuilding
JDI’s Pathways to Shipbuilding program was created to help a number of under-represented groups, including women, begin careers within their Halifax facility that builds ships for the Royal Canadian Navy. Participants are provided with a preparatory course, a two-year trades diploma at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and a job with Irving Shipbuilding upon graduation. Working with community partners to source women who were interested in career changes, JDI have successfully completed training for two cohorts of approximately twenty women each. In 2019, 13 of the women started work as first year apprentices at JDI Shipbuilding’s Halifax Shipyard, while the other three graduates joined organizations in the shipbuilding supply chain. Feedback from graduates indicated that there was great value in having a class comprised solely of women.
Skilled Trades Exploration for Women (STEPW)
JDI partnered with New Boots – Progressing Women in Trades (a provincial network and resource hub that aims to promote, support and mentor women in non-traditional skilled trades), and the Government of New Brunswick in order to provide career opportunities for women interested in the Skilled Trades Exploration Program for Women (STEPW). In this program, women are chosen for an apprenticeship across several JDI businesses. The participants then attend 12 weeks of job readiness training at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) in Saint John and are provided with a position and a mentor in a JDI business. After attaining the required 1800 apprenticeship hours in the business, the participants move on to achieve journeyperson status with JDI support.
By the end of 2019, nine women had graduated from this program. In their news release, one of the graduates said:
“New Boots and STEPW contributed to my success in many ways. First and foremost, the program gave me the opportunity to take up the program during the summer and helped me find an apprenticeship! Without them, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunity as I have now. Secondly, the program prepared us to enter the workplace, with tools, networks to connect with others in similar fields and the support whenever we needed!”
JDI features stories and photos of these women on their corporate and Facebook web pages in order to highlight the progress being made and to set examples for other women considering the trades as a career option.
J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) is partnering with New Boots – Progressing Women in Trades and the Government of New Brunswick to sponsor 10 women in the Skilled Trades Exploration Program for Women (STEPW).
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As a Canadian leader in construction and infrastructure development with global expertise, Aecon Group Inc. strives to be the number one Canadian infrastructure company and is proud to be recognized as one of the Best Employers in Canada.
Aecon Women in Trades (AWIT) Program
Like most companies, Aecon is seeking to manage an ongoing shortage of qualified talent, particularly within its skilled trades ranks. To help address this challenge, the company has developed the Aecon Women in Trades (AWIT) program, designed to help women “lace up their boots and kickstart their careers at Aecon.” AWIT is led by Aecon’s Utilities business segment, a leading utility solutions provider offering innovative, nationwide construction services in the areas of oil and gas, telecommunications infrastructure, and power distribution networks. The program offers women opportunities to build their careers in the trades through hands-on training, mentorship and field experience.
In 2019, the Aecon Utilities division partnered with the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 183 Training Centre to deliver the first phase of their Apprentice Construction Craft Worker training to a class of 12 women. LiUNA’s program includes training on such skills as form-setting and concrete work, small tools, machines, and earth-work with a strong emphasis on health and safety. Aecon’s human resources team delivered complementary training on soft skills. The first two groups of female apprentices are currently on Aecon job sites around Ontario working towards their Red Seal certifications which will demonstrate they have the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade. A fourth cohort of women has recently commenced the program at the LiUNA training centre.
Aecon Women Inclusion Network (AWIN)
In 2014, the company established an employee resource group called the Aecon Women Inclusion Network (AWIN). The network aims to support women through mentorship, building awareness and providing support within the company. They also seek to develop a strong presence externally in order to support the attraction, retention and advancement of women in the industry. Using AWIN “champions” from within the company, the network provides mobile workshops and seminars designed to address the challenges faced by women and their families.
