WOMEN’S ENTERPRISE SKILLS TRAININGOF WINDSOR INC.

MISSION STATEMENT

Women's Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. (WEST) exists to provide

training for severely employment disadvantaged visible minority women in order to improve their employability

in the workforce and/or to further their education.

VISION

Leaders in positioning Women for Success.

ABOUT WEST

Women's Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc.is a community-based multicultural agency providing employment, educational and settlement services to all employment disadvantaged visible minority women, newcomers and individuals in need of assistance.

ABOUT WEST

WEST has been working to improve Employability of women in Windsor Essex County since 1987.

WEST PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

WEST provides five main pillars of

services to women in the

community, which include:

• Settlement Services

• Education and Training

• Employment Assistance

• Language Instructions

• Childminding

CNC/INDUSTRIAL MECHANIC MILLWRIGHTPRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR WOMEN

RESEARCH

WEST delivered the WE SUCCEED: Beyond the Status Quo Program in 2013.

• Funded by Status of Women Canada

• A community-based research project dedicated to developing partnerships and collaborations between youth, stakeholders and the community to identify and respond to the specific barriers that girls and women face in fulfilling their economic potential.

• This initiative aimed at “Strengthening girls' and young women's economic prosperity.”

WE SUCCEED-BEYOND THE STATUS QUO PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• The WE $UCCEED: Beyond the Status Quo Needs Assessment had three objectives:

• Address the economic issues impacting girls and young women in the Windsor-Essex community.

• Educate girls and young women on underrepresented career opportunities as a means to improve their economic prospects.

• Encourage community stakeholders to take specific action to improve girls’ and young women’s fulfillment of their economic potential.

RESEARCH

25,000

NEXT QUESTION-WHY???

THE ANSWER WAS REVEALING!

“UNTAPPED TALENT”

• Focus groups with over 60 youth

• Community Survey with over 300 youth

KNOWLEDGE

58.6% of female respondents and 46.7% of male respondents indicated they did not

know what the skilled trades are.

PERCEPTION

63% of female respondents think that manufacturing is dirty and requires a lot of

physical strength. 45% of female respondents indicated that they have been told

they should not do a certain job because it is a “man’s job”.

58.6% don’t know what the skilled trades are.

66% wouldn’t consider a job in the skilled trades

I NEVER SEE

women

working as:

I SEE SOME

women

working as:

I SEE MANY

women

working as:

• Construction Worker

• Mechanic

• Plumber

• Prime

Minister/President

• Firefighter

• Garbage Collector

• Chefs

• Construction Worker

• Doctors

• Electricians

• Engineers

• Firefighters

• Mechanic

• Nurses

• Hairdressers

• Teachers

• Secretaries

• Waitress

• Cashiers

PERCEPTION EXAMINATION

INFLUENCE

• 58% of respondents indicated their parents have a strong influence on their

career choices and decisions.

• 32% newcomer female respondents indicating their cultural background

influenced their career decisions, in comparison to 9% of Canadian born female

respondents.

EXAMINING THE CHALLENGES Under-representation of WOMEN

Life and other conditions that add layers of complexity to gender-based barriers to trades

• Changing Perceptions and Debunking Myths/Stereotypes

• A pervasive notion exists that physical strength is a requirement

• Misconception of the workplace

• 20% of the labour force are set to retire over the next decade

• Assist with succession preparation to replenishing our future workforce

• Investing in promoting the concept of trades as a career with parents and educators

• Low level mathematics skills

• Transportation

• Family Commitment

• Wrap Around Supports

WOMEN IN TRADES-Local Strategy to Filling the Gap

Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc., with the support ofMinistry of Training, Colleges, and University (MTCU), under the Ontario Labour Market Partnership conducted another research project

WOMEN IN TRADES-Local Strategy to Filling the Gap

Ontario Labour Market Partnership Project (OLMP):

• Conducted research on local community-based labour market on occupations with high underrepresentation of women to identify the challenges, barriers and attitudes of employers in these fields.

WOMEN IN TRADES-Local Strategy to Filling the Gap

OLMP Project Outcomes:

• Tool-kit for employers

• Increase awareness amongst industry, school boards, labour, and community as strategy to Filling the Gaps

EUREKA!

IT ALL STARTED WITH A NEED AND A

PHENOMENAL IDEA!TOGETHER WE STAND!

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Taking ACTION TO START SOLVING THE PROBLEM!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS – WEST of WINDSOR Inc.

Women in Skilled Trades - PARTNERSHIPS

•Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc. WEST in partnership with St. Clair College (Education), UNIFOR Local 444 (Labour), and Employers (Industry Stakeholders) has been offering the CNC Industrial Mechanical Millwright

Pre-Apprenticeship Program since 2014.

•This program is funded by the Government of Ontario.

5 YEARS OF PROGRAM EXCELLENCE

2014 – 2017 - 4 intakes - Offered training to 88 women • 71 are employed in the local manufacturing sector

• 20 are pursuing apprenticeships

2018 - We are now in our 5th year!!

25 Women will complete the program in December 2018

UNIFOR WORKSHOPS-Getting ready for the Program

• Exploring jobs in demand-Women in Trades

• Hands-on interactive workshop

• Women panelists and mentors

• Awareness and discussions on working in the trades

• Robot programming, and assembly

• Information on apprenticeship, and career pathways

CLASSES AT WEST-First 3 Weeks

• WHMIS/Health and Safety

• Employability Skills

• Basic Computers Training

• Math upgrading

• Personal Protective Equipment

St. CLAIR COLLEGECURRICULUM

• WHMIS/HEALTH AND SAFETY

• FIRST AID /CPR

• BASIC COMPUTERS

• ESSENTIAL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

• COMPUTER NUMERICAL CONTROL

• PREPARATORY MATH AND ENGLISH

• PRECISION MACHINING AND TOOL

• TRADE THEORY 1

• TRADE PRACTICAL 1

• WELDING 1

• DRAWINGS AND SCHEMATICS 1

• ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL

• MACHINE THEORY

• MACHING RIGGING

• INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE

• INDUSTRY TOURS

• EMPLOYMENT COUNSELLING

• PLACEMENT

• APPRENTICESHIP

WHAT OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS GET?

• Tuition = FREE

• Childcare = FREE

• Books = FREE

• Transportation = FREE

• Personal Protection Equipment = FREE

• Tools = FREE

• Employment Assistance = FREE

So NO excuses…

EMPLOYABILITY AND WORKPLACE PREPARATION

• It includes employability and workplace preparation to help women prepare for a predominately male work environment as well as to make them aware of employer expectations.

• Following graduation, women are qualified to enter a variety of highly skilled and high-demand skilled trade jobs and apprenticeships.

STRENGTHS Industry Council Model

To identify needs and gaps WEST conducted additional research bringing together

• Community

• Labour market

• Education

• Industry

Linked to WEST’s mission statement the program aims to address:

• Local skills shortage

• Gender gap

• Help more women become qualified through pre-apprenticeship training

• Help more women find stable jobs

OUR INDUSTRY COUNCIL ENGAGEMENT

Meets quarterly to provide council members with an opportunity to:

• Share their expertise on sector needs

• Define best practice to ensure women’s success in the skilled trades

• Assist in designing a program inclusive of the barriers faced by women in our community

• Develop a marketing strategy

OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, AND INCLUSION COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Partnership with like-minded groupsInformation Sessions/Community Outreach

• Schools

• Community Agencies

• Word of Mouth

• Religious organizations

• Aboriginal Communities

**********************************************************************************

• Advertisement – Social media, Newspaper, Radio interviews

• Internal Referrals

• Job Fairs

• Build A Dream – Founding Partner

Challenges – Under-representation of WOMEN

• Population: More women to men

• Participation rate: As per data collected by Workforce Windsor Essex in 2018:

• Men participation rate: 74.2%• Women participation rate: 57.5%

• Women face more barriers to employment:• Part-time jobs• Lower wages• Childcare• Transportation• Wrap Around Supports• Lack awareness, information and female focused initiatives

BEST PRACTICE

• Gender Sensitivity Training

• Diversity and Inclusion – Multiculturalism Awareness

• Leverage support from community and other agencies

• Provision of Employment Support

EMPLOYERS!!! STRATEGIES to HELP change the perception

• Develop promotional strategies that integrate the influencing factors women make

when choosing a career choice.

• Raise awareness about the opportunities in the workplace.

• Provide onsite resources to support women who may feel isolated working in a male

dominated environment.

• Support Community initiatives and more……

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS MENTORSHIP

• Allows employers to get support from like minded industry leaders from their sectors.

• Companies have hired 2 or more participants from the Women in Skilled Trades Pre-apprenticeship Program.

• Some of these participants have completed level 1 apprenticeship training

• Participants from intakes 1-3 are in either at level 3 or level 4 in their apprenticeship journey

MEASURE OF SUCCESS

• The number women who secure jobs and/or further education in the skilled trades.

• The participants job titles include, but are not limited to:• General machinists• Tool and die makers• Mold makers• Welders• CNC machinists• Millwrights………

OUR INDUSTRY COUNCIL MEMBERS

A.P. Plasman

A.V. Gauge

DC Automotive Tool

Laval International

PowerTraxx Electric

DeMonte Fabrication Ltd.

Radix Inc.

Reko International Group Inc.

St. Clair College

UNIFOR

University of Windsor

Windsor Mold Group

Workforce Windsor Essex

LOCAL EMPLOYER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Advanced Machining Services Inc.

A.P. Plasman

A.V. Gauge & Fixture

Briadco Tool & Mold Inc.

Canam Tools Ltd.

Centerline

Concours Mold Inc.

Cutting Edge Precision Services

DC Automotive Tools

Delta Wire & Manufacturing Inc.

Dieffenbacher North America

Essex Weld Solutions

Futura Tools

Ground Effects

Hawk Plastics

H Beck Machinery

IAT Global Manufacturing

Integrity Mold

JF Industrial

Kapco Tool & Die Ltd.

Landau Gauge Inc.

Laval International

Mayson Enterprises

Mould & Design limited

New-Tech Tool

Platinum Tool Technologies Inc.

SPM Automation Inc.

Standard Tool and Mold Inc.

St. Clair College

St. Clair College-Skilled Trades

Regional Training Centre

Team Industrial Services

Toolplas System Inc.

Windsor Mold Group

Windsor Industrial Services

Xact Pattern & Fixture

THANK YOU!!!