July 29, 2014 – I recently learned the YWCA Toronto—in partnership with Centennial College—is running a 34-week Pre-Apprenticeship Electrician Training Program for women to give them a chance at a career in the skilled trades, and the students need your help!

“This year, we had over 250 people contact us about the program, from which 22 women were selected to participate,” explains YWCA Toronto’s job coach/developer Nika Munro. “They went through a comprehensive selection process, which took into consideration motivation and aptitude; English, Math and Mechanical Reasoning test scores; as well as results from a panel interview.”

Funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities, the program (download sheet below to learn more) prepares women for an Electrician Construction and Maintenance pre-apprenticeship, providing participants with their Level 1 Electrician-Construction and Maintenance 309A training. Students also get certification in Emergency First Aid and CPR, WHMIS, Lockout/Tagout and Fall Protection.

“The 22 successful participants began the program on April 7, 2014, and they are now over half-way finished their Level 1 Training and are set to graduate at the end of August,” says Munro. “Once the participants have completed their courses at trade school, they will be looking for work placements to complete the program.”

And that’s where YOU come in!

YWCA Toronto needs host companies for those 22 graduates. Work placements need to be 280 hours in length (about 8 weeks if working full-time), and can take place any time between the beginning of September and the end of November.

Please give these 22 deserving students a leg up!

Contact Nika directly at:

(416) 266-0303 ext. 26
nmunro@ywcatoronto.org

— Anthony Capkun, Editor, acapkun@annexweb.com .