Industry, Government Partner to Bring in More Women

 Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) has launched a new program they hope will attract women to the industry while at the same time address the worker shortage. 

“With women representing only one quarter of the Electricity industry workforce, and fewer than 5 percent in the trades, it’s vital that we encourage women to become more engaged and represented,” said Michelle Branigan, CEO of EHRC. “Given the severe skills gap shortage that the industry faces, women offer organizations a solution to the pending labour crisis.”

Called “Bridging the Gap,” the public outreach program will include a mass recruitment program that will target women via newspapers, movie theatres and public transit. 

That approach came out of EHRC research that found that awareness was a major issue when it came to women choosing the electrical industry to build a career. 

 EHRC will be the central point of contact to provide women with information on career training, mentoring opportunities, apprenticeships and support. EHRC is also providing employers with organizational case studies, survey results from consultations with women regarding the industry and occupational introduction video series. Employers can also get the original Bridging the Gap report. 

 The program has industry support, as well as the support of both the Ontario and Alberta governments. Funding for the project came from Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Hydro One, Employment Ontario, Government of Alberta, and Engineers Canada. Partners include industry, government, and stakeholders, such as educators, labour union groups and others, who have come together to form an advisory committee for this initiative.