Calendar
Young Women's Conferences
SAVE THE DATE!
Skills Ontario Young Women's Conference 2026
May 4 & 5, 2026
Missed the 2025 Young Women's Conference? Not a problem! Click on the links below to watch now.
Secondary Conference 2025
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Check out our series "A Sit Down with..." as we feature the 2025 keynote speakers:
| Watch | Brandi Ferenc, HVAC & Gas Fitter, 2025 |
| Watch | Dee Durant, Electrical Apprentice, 2025 |
| Watch | Chloe Arsenault, Mining Technician, 2025 *French* |
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Skills Ontario Young Women's Conferences
Skills Ontario is pleased to invite you and your students to the 26th Annual Young Women’s Conference at
the Toronto Congress Centre!
Senior Elementary Conference [grades 7-8], Monday May 5th 2025 at 9:30am
Secondary Conference [grades 9-12], Tuesday May 6th at 12:05pm
Francophone Conference [grades 7-12], Tuesday, May 6th at 9:30am
Skills Ontario is pleased to announce Dee Durant and Brandi Ferenc as this year’s English Keynote Speakers.
Monday, May 5th: Dee Durant
Dee Durant is an electrical apprentice working towards her 309A Construction Maintenance electrical license. She is also a KickAss careers ambassador, a co-host of a talk show called Building Resilience on YouTube, and a former Weston scholar. Through her work and volunteerism, she encourages others to consider a career in the skilled trades, understand and end stigmas, and help to create a better workplace environment for all employed within the skilled trades. Dee has worked in a variety of different electrical trade environments and sectors, from the world's largest nuclear power plant to residential sales, services, new builds, and high-rises. Dee has already experienced and learned so much in her young career and although she has a lot more to learn, she is eager to see where the trades will take her career path next.
Tuesday, May 6th : Brandi Ferenc
Brandi Ferenc, founder of Fair-Trades Toolbox is a Red Seal 313A Refrigeration Mechanic/Gas Fitter 1 Journey person. In addition to Fair Trades Toolbox, Brandi teaches HVAC part time at Georgian College and works for Support Ontario Youth as a mentor for women in the skilled trades and apprentices.
Brandi has been recognized many times in recent years but most notably this year she was presented two prestigious awards. First, she received Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner from the WXN Network. Second, in January 2023 she won “Lady of the Trade” for 2023 at the HVAC Tactical awards at AHR in Atlanta.
For 17 years Brandi has shared her experience to educate, mentor and inspire women about the career paths available within the skilled trades. Her vision is to continue to break the bias for women in skilled trades, and to be the voice of advocacy for the inclusion of women in this industry.
