In October 2019, the Manitoba government announced their plan to work with partners in the private sector to create 40,000 new private-sector job opportunities over the next four years. The Manitoba work plan focuses on targeted actions to help create the right conditions to support private-sector job creation and overall growth in Manitoba’s economy. This includes accelerating talent acquisition and business expansion by fast-tracking the development of Manitoba’s Skills, Talent, and Knowledge Strategy.

Manitoba’s Skills, Talent, and Knowledge Strategy was released in 2020 to provide strategic direction to publicly funded post-secondary institutions and outline actions needed to accelerate recovery, advance Manitoba’s economy, and promote positive outcomes. The strategy includes targeted actions to strengthen alignment between post-secondary institutions, immigration, training and employment services, and labour market needs. The strategy was informed by robust stakeholder engagement, including sector council partners such as the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC).

A theme common to many of the sectors was a drastic shortage of skilled labourers and tradespeople, particularly in construction. At the same time, women make up only a very small percentage (4% approximately) of the construction sector workforce.  Bringing more women into the construction sector workforce, where there are generally higher-paying salaries, would go a long way toward addressing the critical shortage of tradespeople in Manitoba while providing women with high-paying jobs and career advancement.

As part of a multi-faceted strategy to encourage and attract more women into construction-related employment, the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC) hosted the first Manitoba Women in Trades Conference in February 2020. An amazing 530 women attended this first-time event. As a result of the conference’s success and MCSC’s overall support of women in trades, MCSC received funding through the Manitoba Status of Women to also support the training and employment of Indigenous women living in remote communities. As a result, 45 Indigenous women are currently employed on construction projects in their home communities! The number of women working in construction is increasing because there is greater awareness of the multiple careers available, there is an increase in engagement with employers who are facing labour shortages and there are more education opportunities for women who face multiple barriers to employment.

With this strategy in mind, the Manitoba Construction Sector Council with the support/cooperation of Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, Winnipeg Construction Association, First People Development Inc., and Construction Association of Rural Manitoba is hosting a 1-day Manitoba Women in Trades Conference, November 16, 2022 (7:30 am-4:00 pm) at the Victoria Inn Hotel & Conference Centre in Winnipeg, MB. The conference is geared toward women who need support, guidance, and connections to make their construction career successful, as well as to employers, superintendents, project managers, and estimators who are looking to recruit, retain and support women in trades.