RBC Women in Trades Blog

Tracy Bryant loves her job, but welding wasn’t an obvious career choice for the soft spoken Kamloopsian. When she began her Welding Level C training at TRU in 2007, one of only a handful of women trades students, she sometimes doubted her ability to make it through the demanding program. Tracy isn’t too proud to […]

It made for an exciting morning last week, when the Honourable Ministers John Rustad (Minister Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation), and Amrik Virk (Minister of Advanced Education) visited a Juniper West building site crawling with TRU trades students.  Women in Trades Training Program participants were  on the site of the future Y Dream Home, and some […]

Mandy McKinnon has a motto: “People don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.” That’s why she’s quick to say that she sees herself in a position of leadership in the future. Born in Edmonton, and raised by a handy father, who she describes as a ‘tinkerer’, Mandy likes the feeling of having something to […]

I am so excited to welcome the new Women in Trades Training participants to our 2014 program. We will be starting off with Construction Craft Worker and Carpentry Skills. Time to break in those new work boots! A few upcoming events for all of our women trades students: our next Lunch n’ Learn is scheduled […]

I am so excited to announce that 16 participants have been selected for the Women in Trades Training Program (WITT) beginning September 8th.  Funded by the Industry Training Authority, WITT gives women an opportunity to explore trades education and careers.  Graduates of the 14-week program are prepared to select a skilled trade and continue on […]

          Welder and TRU grad Haileigh is just one of many women in trades success stories, and for those of you interested in seeing the world… read on! Haileigh tells me that she has always worked side-by-side with her Dad, fixing trucks. When she was only 10 years old she announced […]

Maybe you’ve seen her around the hallways of T&T, or around town on her motorcycle, but I bet you’d like to know more about this talented tradeswoman! Ms. Blaskovic (Official title: Ace IT Youth and Partnership Transitions Coordinator) found her calling in trades education when an influential high school drafting teacher encouraged her to consider […]

Thank you to everyone who attended our Women in Trades lunch! Special thanks to Gina McPherson (pictured), Electrical Safety Officer, BC Safety Authority, and to Helen Poss, Regional Employment Specialist, Skilled Trades Employment Program.  Gina McPherson shared her story of beginning her electrical career in the late 1970s, later moving into a teaching role, and […]

Join us for a FREE LUNCH and information about jobs, career paths, and Q &A with: Helen Poss, Regional Employment Placement Specialist BCCA & Skilled Trades Employment Program When: Wednesday, July 23, 2014       11:30 -12:30 Where: TT219 For more information call or email: Pamela Fry, Coordinator, Women in Trades        250 828-5109 or […]

According to the Government of BC, truckers, along with carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators and welders, will be busy filling thousands of jobs over the next ten years. In fact, more than sixteen thousand new trucking jobs are expected to become available. This is great news for women, who are already making their mark in […]