The Nova Scotia Office to Advance Women Apprentices helps women like Kaitlin find the right job in the skilled trades for their future. Connect with the office and learn how we can support you to find your dream job!
Nova Scotia's
Women Apprentices
National News
Office to Advance Women Apprentices expands to Cape Breton
Cape Breton is experiencing a boom in the construction industry – and with it, comes the need to grow and diversify the skilled trades workforce. To support this growth, the Office to Advance Women Apprentices has opened an office in the region that will offer wraparound support services to engage, support and grow the number of tradeswomen and apprentices.
As a project of Canada’s Building Trades Unions, the Office to Advance Women Apprentices Cape Breton is the seventh office of its kind to open in Canada. Based on the successful Office to Advance Women Apprentices model established in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2009, the office will work to identify and eliminate barriers to increase opportunities for women in the skilled trades.
Maggie Budden, a Red Seal Ironworker with Local 752, has taken on the role of Project Coordinator and will lead the office, working closely with local unions, contractor and employer partners, and current and potential tradeswomen.
Read Maggie’s journey through the trades and her understanding as to why a support office is needed for women in trades.
Featured in photo: Maggie Budden, Project Coordinator for Office to Advance Women Apprentices, Cape Breton and Jack Wall, President of Cape Breton Building Trades Union
what we do
Office to Advance Women Apprentices NS
The Office to Advance Women Apprentices Nova Scotia was created to engage and support tradeswomen working in construction trades in the province.
The office has a mandate to offer support and increase employment opportunities for tradeswomen and women entering apprenticeable trades in Nova Scotia. We offer a registry database of female tradespersons identifying trade, level of apprenticeship, employment status, resumes, travel availability, etc.
With the support of Employment and Social Development Canada and Canada’s Building Trades Unions, we’re committed to identify barriers, track and measure success, and offer ongoing support to skilled construction tradeswomen in Nova Scotia to increase their chances for success.
The Office to Advance Women Apprentices Nova Scotia creates ongoing support services for women seeking or already employed in the skilled construction trades.
Our work includes:
The Office to Advance Women Apprentices project was started in Newfoundland and Labrador where, today, women account for approximately 13 percent of the skilled construction trades workforce, compared to a four per cent rate nationally. Building on the success of the Newfoundland and Labrador office, the model is now being replicated in five other provinces, including Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan where at least 750 women, including Indigenous women, are expected to be served through the offices.
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Join Our Network
If you’re a tradeswoman in Nova Scotia looking for employment in your trade, or a tradeswoman looking for support, register to become part of the Office to Advance Women Apprentices Nova Scotia network.
We're committed to increasing the number of tradeswomen working in their field through directly connecting workers and employers in Nova Scotia.
By registering, we will include you in our database of apprentices who have completed trades training programs, matching you with employers looking for skilled tradespeople.
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Exploring the Trades
If you’re interested in exploring a career in a skilled trade our office can assist you. Please complete the short registration below to get in touch with us.
Apprenticeship Incentive Grants for Women
Federal Incentive Grants
Earn while you learn.
Resources for NS Tradeswomen and Employers
EMPLOYERS
We Connect Apprentices & Employers
Employers can contact The Office to Advance Women Apprentices NS to get access to the resumes of apprentices from our vast database of qualified workers across the province. When you’re hiring, let us know and we’ll forward resumes from highly-skilled women workers directly to you to speed up and simplify your hiring process.
*Note: Employer's names are kept confidential unless otherwise specified by the employer.
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Discover the stories of the tradeswomen and employers supported by the Office to Advance Women Apprentices.
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