PLACENTIA, NL – College of the North Atlantic (CNA) is excited to announce that it will be one of 14 hosts across Canada for CWB Welding Foundation’s initiative: Women of Steel™: Forging Forward Program.
CNA will be one of 14 hosts across Canada for CWB Welding Foundation’s initiative: Women of Steel™: Forging Forward Program. The 16-week program (14 weeks training and a two-week on-the-job practicum) will be offered at Placentia campus. It is designed to break stereotypes and provides hands-on learning opportunities that foster education, personal growth, confidence, and experiential learning for women (and anyone identifying as female) interested in exploring welding and other welding-related skilled trades careers. Photos provided by the CWB Foundation.
The 16-week program, which will be delivered in person at CNA’s Placentia campus from June 5 to September 22, 2023, is designed to break stereotypes and provides hands-on learning opportunities that foster education, personal growth, confidence, and experiential learning for women (and anyone identifying as female) interested in exploring welding and other welding-related skilled trades careers, such as metal fabrication.
As more skilled tradespeople are looking to retire locally and across the country, the pending skilled labour gap continues to grow, and opportunities for a career in the industry are countless. Welding and welding fabrication provides a gateway to skilled trades and other related professions. As an added bonus, the field offers a well-paying, stable career choice with many options for women.
“CNA is not only committed to being an equal-opportunity employer, it also provides inclusive learning spaces for anyone interested in a particular field of study,” said Judy Dobson, Director of CNA’s Customized & Continuous Learning. “Through programs like The Women of Steel™, we ensure that those who self-identify as female have the chance to pursue their passion, or explore skill sets for career options in the welding field. This collaboration with the CWB Welding Foundation is an excellent opportunity for us to engage more underrepresented groups, teach the skills they need, while also responding to industry’s labour shortages.”
This pre-employment tuition program is free for participants 18 years and older, who are legally permitted to work in Canada, have completed high school or are considered mature students, and self-identify as female and/or non-binary (including those from racialized or marginalized groups, such as BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Colour], newcomers, 2SLGBTQQIA+, women with disabilities, or with a prolonged detachment from the labour force).
Included in the sessions are 14 weeks of practical theory, hands-on welding training, and skills development in a safe and supportive environment, with a flexible schedule to balance responsibilities. In addition, the program also features a two-week on-the-job practicum. Participants will be trained in several welding methods, with the ability to obtain multiple (up to six) CWB welding qualifications in various positions making graduates ready for apprenticeship, post-secondary, and employment.
Interested participants are encouraged to contact Janice Greene at
janice.greene@cna.nl.ca or 709-227-2037. Deadline to register is
Monday, May 29, 2023.
For more information about this program, visit the CNA website:
Women of Steel™
About the CWB Welding Foundation
The CWB Welding Foundation is a national registered charity that relies on the support of industry and community organizations to address the welding skilled trade shortage in Canada. Through education-based programs and initiatives, we continue to reduce barriers that affect key groups; elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and educators, Indigenous People, women, and the underrepresented. We envision a future where all individuals are encouraged and provided the support needed to reach their true potential in a career in welding regardless of identity factors, social and financial status, and lived experiences including gender, age, ethnicity, language, literacy, culture, income, and geographical location.
The Women of Steel™: Forging Forward project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Women Employment Readiness Pilot Program.
The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.
About College of the North Atlantic
CNA is the largest post-secondary educational and technical skills training centre in Atlantic Canada; enrolling learners each year in more than 100 full-time programs across six schools: Academics, Applied Arts, and Tourism; Business and Information Technology; Engineering Technology; Health Sciences; Natural Resources and Industrial Trades; and, Sustainable Development. For the past 60 years, since the opening of Trades and Vocational School campuses throughout Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), college education has evolved and responded to the education and training needs of this province. Today, with its Headquarters located in Stephenville, NL, CNA has multiple campuses and delivers programs and services to students throughout the province and across the globe, including online delivery and blended learning opportunities. Its geographic reach includes students taking its courses and programs in China and Qatar. CNA also recently ramped up its educational development outreach partnering with other institutions to bring Canadian standards, curriculum, and instructional approaches in post-secondary education to developing countries. Additional information on CNA’s mandate and lines of business can be found on the CNA website:
www.cna.nl.ca.
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