Jill of All Trades
Jill of All Trades (JOAT) was launched by Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in 2014 to introduce young women in grades 9 through 12 to the possibilities of a career in the skilled trades.
Located in southwestern Ontario, Conestoga is a provincial leader in the delivery of trades and apprenticeship training to serve industry needs and growing communities. Through gender-specific programming and mentoring opportunities like Jill of All Trades, the college assists and encourages women to pursue careers in under-represented and non-traditional occupations.
As part of its growth and expansion over the last decade, Jill of All Trades programming is now available for delivery in other communities. By 2026, Jill of All Trades plans to expand to 25 institutions across Canada and 20 across the U.S., delivering more than 120 events.
Women in trades
Canada needs more than 167,000 new
apprentices in the next five years.
Jill of All Trades encourages young
women to consider the opportunities
and benefits of a future in the trades
and technologies.
Host an event
Learn more about how your post-
secondary institution can support young
women to understand the value of a
pursuing a career in the skilled trades.
JOAT at Conestoga
Conestoga is a leader in skilled training
and has delivered a women in skilled
trades workshop annually since 2014.
The next event takes place on May 29,
2024.
Latest News
Freshco: Why we need more women in Canada’s skilled trades
Web Posted: November 1, 2023
Freshco discusses Canada's pending skilled trades shortage, challenges in recruitment and the need to attract young women.
CTV News: Fanshawe mentorship program for women in trades
Web Posted: October 19, 2023
CTV News London on new Fanshawe mentorship program to support women in trades
Jill of All Trades fair offers female students a different job path
Web Posted: October 19, 2023
Mohawk College’s Stoney Creek campus Oct. 12 JOAT event welcomed 108 female-identifying participants from area high schools to learn more about the trades.
I will forever remember the Jill of All Trades event as the first place I changed a tire, and the first place someone encouraged me to do so. That for me, sums up the whole atmosphere of the event.
