Following Construction and Skilled Trades Month in April, Okanagan College (OC) has built a new web page dedicated to supporting the retention of apprentices and increasing the number of people entering the skilled trades.

The website connects female and gender-diverse apprentices in B.C.鈥檚 construction and manufacturing trades with supports and opportunities, including mentors who can help them succeed.

It is partly funded by the federal government鈥檚 Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy.

鈥淚鈥檓 very excited to be part of the ACTION Project, with a focus on supporting female and gender-diverse apprentices in their journey through trades training,鈥� said Sara Cousins, OC鈥檚 trades program manager. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly meaningful to be involved in a project that will involve so many of our partners and I cannot wait to see more females achieve their Red Seal. I want to thank all our partners for supporting this project to get off the ground.鈥�

B.C. marked Construction and Skilled Trades Month for the eighth year. More than 28,000 contractors and roughly 167,000 skilled tradespeople keep the province building, supported by a network of manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, and trainers.

鈥淲e know there is a shortage of skilled workers in the trades and our goal is to support everyone who wants to get into a great career in the skilled trades,鈥� said Stephen Speers, head of OC鈥檚 trades and apprenticeship programs. 鈥淭his project is a great example of how we can work with our partners, both in government and in the industry, to provide excellent training opportunities.鈥�

The College will extend the mentorship program, launching in Fall 2025, to apprentices of all genders in all trades programs.