Jill of All Trades: Awareness, Experience and Opportunity
Conestoga has delivered a Jill of All Trades event annually since 2014. The event welcomes a group of more than 225 young women and another 225 guests made up of Conestoga faculty and students, apprentices, graduates and industry mentors as well as local school board representatives and teachers, partners, local sponsors and government representatives, to Conestoga’s trades campus to participate in a day-long event designed to introduce young women to the tremendous potential of careers in the skilled trades.
This hands-on experience for young women in grades 9-12 helps them better understand the transition to prospective careers in the trades so they can determine their secondary school course selection for future post-secondary education. Jill of All Trades encourages young women to consider the opportunities and benefits of a future in skilled trades and apprenticeships primarily in Red Seal* trades.
*The Red Seal, when affixed to a provincial or territorial trade certificate, indicates that a tradesperson has demonstrated the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade. The Red Seal endorsement promotes excellence to employers, instills pride in skilled workers, and facilitates labour mobility. Red Seal trades.
The event provides a safe and engaging learning environment, where female mentors and faculty engage participants in a unique “try a trade” opportunity. Young women are selected by their high school to participate and receive one-on-one female apprentice mentorship at the college while being exposed to several skilled trades including the motive power, manufacturing, and construction sectors.