Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for Women in Trades

Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for Women in Trades
Name	Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for Women in Trades
Founded	1994
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region served	Canada

Canadian Apprenticeship Forum for Women in Trades is a Canadian non-profit organization focused on increasing the participation of women in skilled trades and apprenticeships across Canada. It works with federal and provincial institutions, industry associations, labour unions, and educational institutions to design policies, training, and outreach that advance gender equity in skilled trades. The organization operates through research, program delivery, and stakeholder engagement to influence workforce development, labour market participation, and apprenticeship systems nationally.

History

The organization was established in the mid-1990s amid national discussions involving Department of Human Resources Development (Canada), Labour Program (Canada), Canadian Labour Congress, Confederation of Canadian Unions, and provincial ministries such as Ontario Ministry of Labour, British Columbia Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, and Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board. Early initiatives aligned with reports from bodies like the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada and consultations tied to National Occupational Classification revisions. It expanded collaborations with institutions including Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network, Association of Canadian Colleges and Universities, Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship, and trade unions such as the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Over time the organization convened stakeholders from agencies like Statistics Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, and private sector employers including Canadian Pacific Railway and Hydro-Québec.

Mission and Objectives

Its mission emphasizes equity, access, and retention for women in trades through objectives tied to workforce development frameworks used by Canada Job Grant, Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and labour mobility instruments like the Agreement on Internal Trade. Objectives include increasing female apprenticeship registrations with bodies such as the Ontario College of Trades and the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, improving retention rates referenced in Labour Force Survey (Canada) data, and influencing credential recognition across jurisdictions involved in the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement. The organization frames goals consistent with standards promoted by Canadian Standards Association, Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, and equity guidelines from the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs have included targeted recruitment campaigns in partnership with employers like BC Hydro and Toronto Transit Commission, mentorship programs modeled on initiatives by the Canadian Nurses Association and Engineers Canada, and training collaborations with postsecondary institutions such as George Brown College, Red River College, and École de technologie supérieure. Initiatives also mirrored toolkits and curricula developed by Women Building Futures, Skills Canada competitions, and community outreach strategies used by YMCA of Greater Toronto and United Way Centraide Canada. The organization ran pilot projects aligned with apprenticeship innovations from Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and Apprenticeship Completion Grant frameworks, and worked on occupational health and safety adaptation with agencies like Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and associations such as the Canadian Construction Association.

Research and Publications

The organization produced research reports and policy briefs drawing on data from Statistics Canada, analyses by Fraser Institute, and labour market forecasting from Conference Board of Canada. Publications explored barriers highlighted in studies by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, and academic work from University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and McGill University. Research topics included gendered apprenticeship pathways examined alongside reports from OECD, comparative reviews referencing Australian Apprenticeships and Tradeswomen Australia, and evaluations using methodologies from Canadian Evaluation Society.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding sources and partners spanned federal programs such as Employment and Social Development Canada, provincial training funds like Workforce Development Agreement (Nova Scotia), corporate sponsors including IBM Canada and SNC-Lavalin, and philanthropic backers comparable to J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and TELUS Friendly Future Foundation. Strategic partnerships included labour and employer groups—Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Construction Labour Relations – An Alberta Association, sector councils like Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, and university research centres such as Centre for Research on Work and Society.

Impact and Outcomes

Measured outcomes encompassed increased female registrations in trades tracked via provincial apprenticeship registries for jurisdictions including Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, higher completion rates documented in analyses by Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada, and success stories echoed in media outlets like CBC Television and The Globe and Mail. The organization influenced policy changes reflected in programs administered by entities such as Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for trades training linked to construction retrofits, and contributed to cross-sector dialogues at conferences hosted by Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation and Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-adjacent coalitions.

Governance and Organization

Governance comprised a board of directors drawing expertise from labour leaders in Canadian Labour Congress, representatives from employer groups such as Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, academic partners from institutions like Concordia University and Dalhousie University, and advisors from provincial apprenticeship agencies including British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta. Operational staff collaborated with program managers experienced with initiatives from Industry Training Authority (British Columbia), project evaluators aligned with Canadian Evaluation Society, and communications teams versed in working with media outlets such as CTV Television Network.

Category:Apprenticeship in Canada Category:Women in trades