By: Pamela Richardson

Pamela Richardson — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 19:32:35 +0000

I have been a welder for 25 years and now I am a Welding Professor for a community college. I do not find that women want to come into these fields because some of them fear losing their femininity.

By: Paula Bourque

Paula Bourque — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 14:19:47 +0000

I enjoyed this article and I am glad this topic is coming to the forefront. I have worked in the construction industry for 30 years, mostly on the estimating and project managing end but for the last 10 years I’ve been doing a lot of site supervision. I worked mostly in the Maritimes but did one call centre fit-up in Windsor Ontario. I have noticed a big change in the attitude towards women in the industry through more acceptance of equality. But that can be said in life in general. Yes there is much room for improvement but it is getting better. I totally agree with the fact that manufactures of PPE and clothing in general is not geared for women working in this industry or probably other industries. I find myself buying men’s clothing i.e. pants, jackets, socks etc. mainly for pockets, larger sizes and warmth. I totally agree, washroom facilities can be an issue also, but as the super on the job I have more control over that, they are still not set up for females i.e. porta potties. Sanitary disposal, hand-washing urinals in your face when you sit down, heat in some case you may have to almost totally undress to use the facilities in winter. Here, there are not a lot of women working in the trades so I have found that I haven’t wanted to express particular issues especially in the past. I have always worked for general contractors so I’ve had to deal with different trades and attitudes over the years and yes you need thick skin, this industry is it not touchy-feely but not as harsh as it once was.

Comments on: What will it take to draw women to the skilled trades?

By: Pamela Richardson

By: Paula Bourque