Women in Trades Training VIU

organic craft coff ee and mmmore by the sea

across from Salt Spring ferry terminal 1532 CHAPLIN ST, CROFTON

training and in-person sessions.

During the TDP, students are exposed to a variety of trades like carpentry, electrical, automotive, HVAC and welding. Students also receive certificate training that may include Industry certifications like First Aid and WHMIS.

With the goal of opening doors to gainful employment or further education opportunities in the trades, TDP gives people like RoryLynn Bradshaw the chance to find a career path in a field they may not have previously considered. It’s open to anyone who identifies as a woman and/ or Indigenous, and meets all eligibility criteria.

Bradshaw enrolled in the TDP after seeing an ad for it online. She completed the program in June of this year and is now in her first year of the HVAC program at VIU, after receiving application and funding assistance from WITT.

“I decided I needed a change from my retail job,” she says. “We explored six different trades and it was very interesting to get hands-on experience in each trade. I have loved going to VIU because they always have staff and classmates to help you. Doing the discovery program was the best decision I have ever made.”

The next session of the programs run January - March 2022. For more information on WITT: viu.ca/witt For more information on IPTT: viu.ca/iptt

WOMEN IN TRADES

TRAINING VIU

Rory Bradshaw (student of the women’s Trades Discovery and HVAC/RACM programs at VIU) working with the Commercial Refrigeration Simulator in class.

Women in Trades Training (WITT) and Indigenous Peoples in Trades Training (IPTT) at Vancouver Island University (VIU) provides funding and program opportunities for women and Indigenous people interested in exploring a career in the trades. Funding is provided by Government of Canada through the Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement. Applications are now being accepted for the January 2022 intake of two Trades Discovery Programs (TDP): One for women and one only for Indigenous people. Both of these 12-week programs take place at VIU’s Cowichan campus in Duncan, and give students exposure to different trades and career options. Both are fully funded for eligible applicants. With a focus on safety, skills upgrading and job readiness, students experience hands-on learning and other career skills like effective job search, resume writing, and team-building. The program is a hybrid of online