Trades are for everyone! Commissioner Ward encourages young women to get consider a career in the trades at the Skills Ontario Young Women’s Conference.

Commissioner Ward kicked off the 24^th Annual Young Women’s Conference with Skills Ontario and partners to build momentum for young women in trades and tech. It is estimated that only one in ten apprentices are female and most young women dismiss the trades as a career path because of the traditional perception that trades are for men. Speaking to the full room at the Toronto Congress Centre, Commissioner Ward encouraged the grade 6 to 12 students to consider the range of opportunities and choose what is best for them. A career in the trades provides long term opportunities and secure work in a rewarding career in a range of industries.

Skills Ontario and its partners host Young Women’s Career Exploration Events at locations across Ontario that bring education, hands-on experience, and mentorship together, ultimately making the connection to successful career opportunities in the skilled trades and technology sectors.  The Skills Ontario Young Women’s Conferences are the largest young women’s conferences in Canada, attracting over 2,000 young women from across Ontario to attend.