Young Women's Initiatives

 

Skills Ontario’s Young Women’s Initiatives is a collection of engaging and hands-on events and programs that provide skills development and mentorship opportunities to young women. 

 

Skilled Trade & Tech
Days for Young Women

Parent/Guardian Information Events

Young Women's Conferences

International Women's Day Conference

International Day of the Girl Activity Series

Women in Trades Resource Hub

Collaborating Organizations

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2021 Attempt Event

 

   

Annual Calendar of Events

Dates

Event  Audience
March 8 (annually) International Women's Day Events

Students in grades 6-12 and
post-secondary school, apprentices,
businesswomen, tradeswomen, and advocates

May Young Women's Conferences Grades 6-12
 September - June  Skilled Trade & Technology Days for Young Women
Grades 7-11
October 11 (annually) International Day of the Girl Activity Series Grades 6-8
December - May

Parent/Guardian Information Events

Grades 7-12 students and their parents/guardians

 


 

Thank you to our Young Women's Initiatives Partners:

 

This Employment Ontario program is funded in part by
the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Magna Logo
      

Program Partners

  



Skilled Trade & Tech Days for Young Women

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Skills Ontario is proud to present a series of Skilled Trade & Tech Days (formally Career Exploration Events) once again for young women in senior elementary and secondary school. These events provide young women the opportunity to explore a variety of skilled trade and technology careers through hands-on workshops while networking with women in the skilled trades. Hosted across the province, young women will have the opportunity to gain practical experience and valuable information to make informed decisions about their future.

In-Person Events
Audience: Grades 7/8 OR 9-11 *Audience may vary depending on the location. 
COST: A $25.00 fee applies to each student registration for select locations only

Skills Ontario is proud to be hosting our popular in-person events again this year! Young women will have to opportunity to travel to a local college or industry location to learn about skilled trades and technology careers! During the event, young women will:

  • Gain an understanding of what skilled trade and technology careers are out there and why they are important;
  • Learn about different careers in the skilled trades and technologies;
  • Learn about and try different day-to-day activities preformed in a skilled trade and technology career while participating in a variety of hands-on workshops.

 

*NEW* for 2023/24: Industry Events
Audience: Grades 11 & 12
COST: A $25.00 fee applies to each student registration

Skills Ontario is happy to be partnering with Industry locations to offer a day of exploration and learning with local employers. Young women will have the opportunity to attend an Industry Event, meet local representatives, gain an understanding about available opportunities through that employer such CO-OP/OYAP placements, Training opportunities and Apprenticeship programs.

During the event, young women will:

  • Gain an understanding of who the employer is, what they do, what they offer in terms of training, apprentice and job opportunities;
  • Learn about the different career opportunities available with the employer;
  • Try their hand at different day-to-day activities to help familiarize them with different job duties associated with the various careers available with that employer

**NOTE: Depending on the employer, personal protective equipment such as steel toed boots or shoes may be required in order to attend.

 

School/Student Registration:
Teachers and board contacts are to register students. 

How Registration Works: 

Each teacher or Board contact will register a group of young women for their choice of event. For all “regional events”, if a co-host is listed, workshops will be based off their programming/campus offerings. Please keep in a mind that each location will have a maximum capacity.

After registering, you will either receive a confirmation email confirming your total number of spaces or a waitlist email. If you are placed on a waitlist, you will only be contacted if a space becomes available.


Cancellation policy 

Cancelled spaces will not be refunded after the registration deadline. However, substitutions are permitted. If spaces have not been cancelled, and there are no shows on the day of the event, you will be invoiced for those spaces.

If you have any questions, please contact lchester@skillsontario.com.


Regional Event Offering

Below is a list of our Skilled Trades and Tech Day event offerings. Once a date is secured, it will be posted online and will not change unless an unforeseen circumstance occurs. At that time, a notice will be posted to our website and all registered participants will be notified. All event details will be updated as each date is secured in the chart below.

IMPORTANT: In select events, some workshops may require an informed consent form to be signed by the parent/guardian depending on the workshop activity. This will be indicated with the event confirmation once participants are registered.  

 

Register here!

 

Date  Region Location Target
Audience
Flyer
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 Dryden

Dryden Regional Training & Cultural Centre
100 Casimir Ave, Dryden, ON

Gr. 9-11 Flyer
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Owen Sound

Stone Tree Golf Club
318085 Hwy 6&10, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6

Gr. 9-11 Flyer
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 Sudbury

College Boreal *French Event*
21 Lasalle Blvd, Greater Sudbury, ON P3A 6B1

Gr. 9-11  
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 Lindsay

Fleming College
200 Albert St S, Lindsay, ON K9V 5E6

Gr. 7 & 8 Flyer
Thursday, October 26, 2023 Timmins

 College Boreal *French Event*
395 Theriault Blvd, Timmins, ON P4N 5B6

Gr. 9 -11
Thursday, October 26, 2023 Lindsay

Fleming College
200 Albert St S, Lindsay, ON K9V 5E6

Gr. 9 & 10 Flyer
Saturday, December 2, 2023 Barrie

Georgian College
1 Georgian Drive, Barrie, ON L4M 3X9

Gr. 7-9 Register Here
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 Eastern
Ontario

*Private Event* 
French Excavator Build Event (Virtual)

Gr. 7 & 8 Flyer
Saturday, February 10, 2024 Barrie

Georgian College
1 Georgian Drive, Barrie, ON L4M 3X9

Gr. 7-9 Register Here
Monday, February 26, 2024 Brampton

Sheridan College
7899 McLaughlin Road, Brampton, ON L6Y 5H9

 Gr. 8 Flyer
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 Ottawa

Algonquin College
1385 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8

Gr. 9-11 Flyer
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 Peterborough

Fleming College
599 Brealey, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B1

Gr. 7 & 8 Flyer
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Peterborough

Fleming College
599 Brealey, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B1

Gr. 9 & 10 Flyer
Thursday, February 29, 2024 Whitby

Durham College 
1610 Champlain Ave, Whitby, ON L1N 9B2

Gr. 9-11 Flyer
Thursday, March 7, 2024 Ottawa

TPH Plumbing & Heating *French*
1528 Star Top Rd Unit #7, Gloucester, ON K1B 3W6

Gr. 11 & 12 Coming Soon
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Sault Ste. Marie

Quattro Hotel
229 Great North Road, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Gr. 7-12 Flyer
Thursday, April 11, 2024 Thunder Bay

LiUNA Local 607
730 Balmoral St. Thunder Bay, ON, P7C 5V3

Gr. 9-11 Flyer
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 Kenora

Seven Generations Education Institute
240 Veterans Drive, Kenora, ON P9N 3Y5

Gr. 7-11  Flyer

 

Register a Guest
A guest is classified as a dignitary, community partner, sponsor, or other interested party who is not part of a school registration. Please email ywc@skillsontario.com to register.


Becoming a Speaker and/or a Workshop Leader
Are you a woman who works in the skilled trades and technologies and looking to share your experience and skilled trade and technology? Volunteer as a mentor or to host a workshop at one of our events! Email ywc@skillsontario.com.

 


Parent/Guardian Skilled Trade & Technology Information Series

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Join us for a six-part series connecting high school programs to apprenticeships to employers, while engaging in thought-provoking conversations that challenge the stigmas behind careers in skilled trades and technologies.  

Throughout these events, Parents/Guardians will have the opportunity to learn about the options that are available to youth starting in high school with OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) to what programs are available in college within a specific sector and what partnerships exist between local high schools/colleges and employers.  Learn about OYAP, explore local colleges, hear from employers, and more! Each event will also feature a “101 with Milwaukee” segment exploring different tools of the trades.   

While these events are geared towards young women in grades 7-10 and their parents/guardians, all are welcome! 

 

Topic Date & Time Co-host(s) Flyer Registration

An Introduction to
Women In Trades

December 7, 2021
5 pm (EST)
Conestoga College, Milwaukee, OYAP
Flyer

Watch the
recording here


A Focus on the
Construction Sector

January 25, 2022
5 pm (EST)

OYAP, Milwaukee, Fleming College
and Algonquin College 

Flyer Watch the
recording here

A Focus on the
Industrial Sector

February 22, 2022
5 pm (EST)
Milwaukee, OYAP, Fleming College
and Linamar
Flyer Watch the
recording here
A Focus on the
Service Sector

April 27, 2022
5 pm (EST)

Milwaukee, OYAP, Durham Hairstylist
Academy, Confederation
College, and Loyalist College

 Flyer

Watch the
recording here
A Focus on the
Motive Power Sector
April 26, 2022
5 pm (EST)

Milwaukee, OYAP, Tropicana 
Employment Centre, Centennial
College, TTC

Flyer Watch the
recording here

Parent/Guardian Skilled Trades
and Technology Information Event

November 5, 2022
9:00 am (EST)
 Georgian College  Flyer Register here

 


Women in Trades Resource Hub

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Awards for Women in Trades Camps, Classes &
E-Learning for Youth
Colleges
Resources, Publications
& Research
Scholarships, Bursaries
& Grants
Skilled Trades
Training Programs
 
Support Groups
& Organizations

Workwear
For Women

Career Sector Opportunities for Women

 


Collaborating Organizations

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Skills Ontario is on the forefront of making change in our province! We are thrilled to be partnering with women in skilled trade and technology organizations and groups to stand together and make an impact. We are united with the same goals and initiatives and will promote exciting opportunities for women through skill development, mentorship, networking, and experiential learning opportunities at our Young Women’s Career Exploration Events and Young Women’s Conference.