The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF-FCA) announced a new partnership and  $100,000 in funding from RBC, which will help support CAF’s National Leadership Program for Women in the Skilled Trades.

This funding will play a pivotal role in accelerating CAF-FCA’s DEI mandate to create more inclusive workplaces and ensure equitable opportunities in the trades for traditionally underrepresented individuals.

“Skilled tradespeople have always played a crucial role in Canada’s economy,” said Andrea Barrack, RBC. “Women can play a large role in addressing both the talent shortage as well as elevating themselves into more senior leadership roles.”

The program is offered at no cost and provides women and gender diverse individuals an opportunity to gain skills in a supportive environment.

To date, 23 participants have successfully completed the program. The participants indicated feeling empowered by conversations with peers and tradeswomen coaches and are now committed to helping other equity-priority groups succeed in the trades.

France Daviault, CEO of CAF-FCA, believes that this program is only the beginning of additional development supports that will help bridge the leadership equity gap.

“The goal of this program and other future CAF-FCA programs, is to support a pathway to leadership opportunities within the skilled trades. When there is equitable decision making and inclusive leadership in a place of work, recruitment, retention, and productivity are positively impacted.”

With RBC’s support, CAF-FCA is poised to help women in trades achieve success and lead the way in highlighting the benefits of diverse, equitable and inclusive skilled trades workplaces.