Remodelling a bathroom or putting down laminate flooring might be a weekend pastime for some women, but it could also be a sign of a new career.
That’s exactly what led a Vernon woman to sign up for Okanagan College’s Gateway to the Building Trades for Women Program – a 12-week course that introduces women to a wide range of trades from carpentry and joinery, to plumbing, electrical, drywall, roofing and even automotive service.
“There are not a lot of women in that field and there seems to be a demand for it,” said Danielle Boileau, 43.
“I like the practical side of being in a trade, and the instructors were all great.”
Boileau worked in retail and owned a souvenir shop in Whistler before she moved to the Okanagan.
Last fall she heard about the Women in Trades program, signed up, tried out all the various trades and is now enrolled in the refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic program in Penticton.
An information sessions for the Gateway program is taking place at the Kalamalka campus Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. Classes begin in April.
The Gateway program provides students with practical employment skills plus industry recognized certificates.
Eligible women are unemployed or underemployed, and not eligible for Employment Insurance benefits.
For more information or to register, contact co-ordinator Jen Hamilton at 250-575-6194 or e-mail jahamilton@okanagan.bc.ca.
