Women: We Need You Now More Than Ever

“She must be lost.”
“I’d bet that’s the owner’s daughter.”
“She won’t last.”
“Must be a lesbian.”

Rhetoric like this with my male colleagues was commonplace when I started my journey in skilled trades as a construction worker in 2003. I’ve seen firsthand how uncomfortable it can be for a woman entering this sector. I’ve always felt women have started at a disadvantage and have had to prove themselves over an extended period just to be accepted by their male counterparts.

I’ve seen it in schools where counselors and teachers describe trades. Outdated “prerequisites” like brute strength, dirty conditions and long hours do very little to entice young women to take that leap. Add into the mix the stigma that trades are unsafe, not financially viable and a dead-end path, and it’s no wonder less than 5% of the skilled trade workforce is represented by women.

In the course of a year, I typically am on many different construction projects. I used to encounter women two or three times a year. A laborer, a cleaner, a mudder; all significant roles on a jobsite — but it did lend a sort of credibility that the more physical trades weren’t for women. We lacked women in those stereotypical roles where it was presumed they could not excel.

But that was then.

Today it is common to see young women jumping into electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and welding apprenticeships. I see women in supervisory roles, upper management and as owners. I now work alongside two to three women on EVERY site I’m on. And that number continues to grow!

Views on what it takes to be a tradesperson are changing. I’d like to credit this shift in large part to some of the women in trades today who are using their platforms to inspire others, to share their journeys, to be mentors. Everyone, not just women, is starting to realize a successful tradesperson is one that is analytical, a problem solver, detail orientated, and creative.

Governments are creating campaigns to address and destroy many of these stigmas that have haunted women in trades for years. Social media has done wonders to connect and share messages of inspiration for young women getting into trade.

And we need it.

Ontario is facing a historic labor shortage, which predicts over 100,000 vacant roles in the next 10 years in the construction sector alone. The future of our economy depends on women getting into trades. That 5% is growing but needs to vastly improve. I’m confident we will get there soon enough.

I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing women in trades. What I’ve found most inspirational is that it’s not “women doing men’s work” but women doing a profession they love. That’s the lesson we all need in the end. Trades are a profession that require a wide range of skills, dedication and passion.

I try to ignore gender when speaking about tradespeople but it’s simply impossible. As a male, I find a woman’s decision to step into this sector nothing short of heroic. As a woman you’re breaking boundaries, changing attitudes, and inspiring future generations.

I once worked with a female plumber and asked her why she chose her path, and more importantly, how she stuck it out. I suggested it couldn’t be easy working in a male-dominated industry and asked if she felt she was under different expectations. Her answer was simple and has stuck with me to this day. She said: “I chose this because I knew this was something I wanted to do. I see trades as a noble profession regardless of all the stereotypes I’ve had to endure. Today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today.”

It’s an intense message. We don’t create change by avoidance; we create it by powering through obstacles. I’m confident that by the time I make my exit from trades we will have a robust workforce represented by many more young women like her. I look forward to the day where stereotypes, barriers and stigma are no longer associated with women in trade. I can say with confidence that mindsets have evolved dramatically in the 18 years that I’ve been lacing up my work boots.

To any young woman reading this, trades are a career path I absolutely hope you explore. They are rewarding, exciting and extremely lucrative. They are challenging, complex and a gateway for endless career advancement.

We need you now, more than ever.

About the Author: Nicholas Tountas, a KickAss Careers Ambassador, has been a sheet metal worker for nearly 20 years. He volunteers with youth in his community, serves on a few boards in London, and recently shot a video with Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labor, in Ontario to promote skilled trades as part of his campaign.