Funding Truck Driving Program for Women

A free program that trains women in the Lower Mainland to become truck drivers is getting a funding boost from the province.

The YWCA's Changing Gears Program has received $1.6 million from B.C.'s Community and Employer Partnerships program, which will allow up to 50 more women to undergo training for a career as a truck driver, according to a news release issued in February.

"More women will get the chance to train for good jobs that are in demand,” said Sheila Malcomson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction in a media release Friday.

“This training program removes barriers for women who want to drive trucks and it gets employers qualified workers.”

The 24-week program is open to women who are unemployed, with a Class 5 licence and a clean driving abstract, according to the YWCA's website. Initial training in Vancouver is followed by instruction at a licensed driving school with locations across hn[ kMm dy dOrwn vI isKlweI pRdwn kIqI jWdI hY[ tr~ikMg AYc Awr kYnyfw dy nvMbr 2022 dy lybr mwrkIt snYpSwt dy Anuswr, kYnyfw iv~c isrP 3.5 pRqISq tr~k frweIvr AOrqW hn Aqy Xogqw pRwpq frweIvrW dI mMg pihlW hI mojUdw fRweIvrW dI aumr vDx krky bhuq izAwdw vD geI hY[ bI. sI. iv~c, Agly 10 swlW ‘c ies Kyqr iv~c 12,300 AswmIAW dw Anumwn lwieAw igAw hY, ijnHW ‘coN izAwdwqr nOkrIAW syvw-mukq ho rhy frweIvrW dI QW lYx dI loV pUrI krn leI zrUrI hoxgIAW[ kYlI pYfn, ilMg brwbrqw leI sMsdI sk~qr ny Su~krvwr dy ibAwn iv~c ikhw, "AsIN jwxdy hW ik swƒ Biv~K dIAW nOkrIAW dIAW loVW ƒ pUrw krn leI vDyry ibRitS kolMbIAw dy lokW dI pRiqBw Aqy smr~Qw dI loV hY, iehI kwrn hY ik ibhqr isKlweI pihlkdmIAW dy nwl AsIN hunrW dy pwVy ƒ Brn leI kMm kr rhy hW, ijs kwrn bhuq swrIAW AOrqW ƒ au~c-mMg vwlIAW vDIAw qnKwh vwlIAW nOkrIAW qoN bwhr r`iKAw hoieAw hY"[ hor jwxkwrI leI, https://ywcavan.org/chanigng-gears 'qy jwE[ the region. On-the-job training is also provided.

According to Trucking HR Canada's November 2022 Labour Market Snapshot, only 3.5 per cent of truck drivers in Canada are women and demand for qualified drivers – already in short supply -- is set to surge due to an aging workforce.

In B.C., 12,300 vacancies in the sector are projected over the next 10 years, the vast majority of which will be due to openings created by the need to replace retiring drivers.

"We know we need the talent and potential of more British Columbians to fill future job needs, which is why with improved training initiatives we are working to close the skills gap that has left too many women out of high-demand jobs that pay well,” said Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity in Friday's statement.

For more information, visit https://ywcavan.org/changinggears