The Government of Alberta is investing $10.7 million over three years in Women Building Futures to support women developing careers in the skilled trades.

Women Building Futures is a non-profit organization that helps unemployed and underemployed women explore a future in the skilled trades, where they can gain paid, on-the-job experience and build a career. Through employment training, support services, readiness workshops, affordable housing and more, the organization connects women to employers while they develop job-ready skills.

Partnering with Women Building Futures to increase the number of women in the skilled trades offers new opportunities for well-paying, high-demand work while providing industry with access to crucial talent.

“More women are joining the skilled trades each year and I’m so excited to see that. Women Building Futures does such important work to prepare and support women looking at skilled trade careers and I’m thrilled that our government is supporting their work. This is great news for women, for families, for businesses, and for Alberta as a whole,” said Tanya Fir, parliamentary secretary for Status of Women.

About 5,700 women apprentices were registered in Alberta last year, a 20 per cent increase from 2021. While the number of women continues to increase, there is more work to be done to alleviate the gender gap in the skilled trades.

“Stable operational funding for Women Building Futures during the next three years gives us the flexibility to keep our focus on helping unemployed and underemployed women remove barriers to successful careers in the trades. This is good for women and good for Alberta,” said Carol Moen, president and CEO, Women Building Futures.