This May, the YWCA Toronto will offer 20 Toronto women the opportunity to take a first-step in becoming a professional electrician.
Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the YWCA has teamed up with Centennial College to offer a 33-week
pre-apprenticeship electrician program at no cost to participants.
"The pre-apprenticeship program will give participants a chance to see if this is a profession they're interested in," says Tsering Tsomo, who is leading the project for the YWCA. "It will give them a feel for the trade and help them to decide if they want to complete an apprenticeship program, which can take up to three to four years [to complete]."
In Ontario, gaining certification in many skilled trades involves landing an apprenticeship while simultaneously completing an in school program. But getting a foot-in-the-door is often difficult, and most schools will only accept applications from students who already have a professional or organization willing to take them on.
In order to make the process easier, the Ontario government rolled out the
Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program in 2006, a program which helps Ontarians interested in a skilled trade become a more qualified apprentice.
The YWCA program, like similar programs throughout the province, will provide participants with a combination of theoretical basics, practical training and, at the end, a hands-on work placement.
The recruitment process for the program has recently ended and the accepted candidates will be notified of their admittance to the program shortly. The program begins March 18.
"We've really seen a lot of interest, says Tsomo. "It really shows that women are interested in doing non-traditional jobs."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Tsering Tsomo