Millwrights partner with Build a Dream for training placements for women
The Millwright Regional Council – Canada and non-profit Build a Dream have launched a partnership to open up new training opportunities for women in the trade.
Through the five-week Introduction to Millwrighting course, participants will receive extensive introductions to millwrighting, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to build careers as union millwrights.
Ten women have been selected to participate in this transformative program. The Millwright Regional Council has secured work placements for each.
“By partnering with Build a Dream, we’re harnessing a unique opportunity to expand our network and recruit more women into our workforce,” said Mark Beardsworth, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Millwright Regional Council – Canada. “This partnership reinforces our commitment to continue working with organizations that build pathways for success through education, experience, and knowledge. Our goal is to diversify and expand our workforce while empowering our members to deliver world-class construction, maintenance, and operation services.”
The council says its partnership with Build a Dream underscores its commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the union. As part of the partnership, Millwright Regional Council – Canada and Build a Dream will together sign a memorandum to continue work in the future.
“In launching the Introduction to Millwrighting Program alongside the Millwright Regional Council - Canada, we're not just responding to the skilled worker shortage; we're rewriting the narrative of who can succeed in the skilled trades,” said Nour Hachem-Fawaz, President and Founder, Build a Dream. “The five-week intensive program is meticulously crafted to be more than an educational journey; it's a transformative experience. It's about instilling confidence, fostering resilience, and ensuring that every participant emerges not just prepared for apprenticeship but empowered to be trailblazer in their union and the industry. We believe in equipping these women with the tools to not only to succeed in navigating the challenges of apprenticeship and the skilled trades but to truly thrive, incite change, and set new standards.”
Initially, the collaboration will be run in Courtice, Ontario, but the partners say their goal is to broaden the program's reach nationwide.