I don't know that this is an incentive for the women. I think when we refer to the ability to make the decision to go into the trades, that comes when they're a little more mature and they're able to stand out against family values and cultural values. There is definitely an awareness being raised for women to be able to earn more money, and to want to do apprenticeships.
I think the hard thing is finding companies to take the women. Certainly in Manitoba there are incredible traditional values, perhaps is the way to put it. Companies don't even know that they don't know that women aren't there. When you ask companies they'll say they'll employ women if they apply. They won't apply if the selection process and the interview process aren't equitable, and the retention issues in the workplace environment aren't necessarily where they need to be. So I'm not sure that the apprenticeship grants, as much as they are very good, will be enough.
I think role models of women who are already in it— With due respect there is a lot of talk around the STEM projects, etc., and those subject areas are integral to tradesmen and journeypersons, but in the same vein there are women who want to go into those professions, those trades, who don't fall into professional engineering, etc. There's an awful lot of work to be done with industry to be able to have a level playing field and to be supported in those roles. They have to be willing at the company level.