Status of Women committee  In the beginning, you don't know, but once you start your journey, absolutely. Irving is huge. I come from different backgrounds. With my trade background too, I'm going to implement everything that I've learned in my life when I get to the shipyard. I see room for advancement

Status of Women committee  Thank you very much.

Status of Women committee  In your first two years, I'll say, you need 6,000 hours to go back to school to do your Red Seal. When you leave community college, you have a little over 2,000 hours. Then you go in and work with a company for the rest of the hours, and you go back and do your Red Seal. In the

Status of Women committee  We started with 20. For other reasons, personal reasons, a few of them left, but this year we finished with 17 in welding and metal fabrication.

Status of Women committee  We were pretty much even. There are usually about 20 in each class. There were two metal fabrication programs and two welding programs going on at the same time. There were two classes that were together, early morning, at 7 a.m., and we had about 40. I'd say we were half of the

Status of Women committee  I was just going to say the same as what Sarah said. I'll add that, as women going into the trades, it gives us more confidence, as well, because of the stigma. We have the support we need from other women—Women Unlimited, as well—and they help us conquer our barriers. It helps u

Status of Women committee  It's still the stigma, of course. But when I was going through my program, before I knew about Irving, it was child care. For transportation, where I live I have to cross the bridge, so it was money. It was financial, and just needing some mentorship and some motivation to know t

Status of Women committee  I worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years, so I had to make a decision. Do I go back to school and is it going to be worth my while to do that to provide for my family? While I did make that decision and got into the program, the personal growth they help you with.... T

Status of Women committee  Definitely, for me, the answer is yes. I have twins, so it was financially hard for me to put them both in at the same time, paying the same rates, and they were very high. In my second year, I started at 7 a.m. and child care didn't open until 7:30, so it was a big barrier for

Status of Women committee  Thank you, Sarah. Thank you, everyone. In 2015 I found myself struggling with life and what I was to do next. I'd lost a job of three years to downsizing at that time, with the company relocating to New Brunswick. I could have gone with the company, but it wasn't an option fo