The Sisters in the Skilled Trades (SST) initiative provides wraparound supports to female apprentices – including funding for childcare, lodging, and travel – to ensure they’re able to complete their in-class training as they work towards their Red Seal certification.
The Apprentice Integration and Development (AID) program supports apprentices by providing targeted financial assistance enabling them to complete their training. Through the creation of customized training programs and innovative courses, AID facilitates skills development in an inclusive environment. The program’s goal is to create a resilient workforce for the construction sector.
The SST and AID programs both started in 2023 and are scheduled to be completed in 2027 and 2028, respectively. The programs are funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy.
“These programs were created in response to the multitude of challenges that we see some apprentices experiencing,” explains Adam Gillis, CRC’s Executive Director of Programs and Initiatives. “In many cases, these challenges are more acute for women and those from other equity-deserving groups.”
In the short time it’s been underway, the SST program has already provided more than 80 participants with a range of workforce-readiness programming and wraparound supports. The program has a target of 400 apprentices by 2027 and is well on track to achieve that goal.
The AID program has many of the same objectives as SST but targets a broader set of participants over a longer period.
“AID is our way of helping apprentices find long-term success in the skilled trades,” says Gillis. “It starts with onboarding before an apprentice even steps foot on a jobsite and continues with mentorship long after participants complete the program and achieve their Red Seal certification. This helps the UBC with membership retention, but also truly betters the lives of program participants.”
For more information specific to these programs, please contact their directors, SST: Kathryn Trickett ktrickett@ubcja.ca and AID: Jodie Lucas jlucas@ubcja.ca.
