Volume 4, Issue 2, 1999
Table of Contents
Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) National
Network
In February 1999, The Globe and Mail reported that
while women make up 52 percent of the population, men currently outnumber women 10 to one
in high technology industries. The Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) National Network
is an education and advocacy organization seeking to change these statistics. Dedicated to
promoting and assisting in the recruitment, training and retention of women in trades,
technology, operations and blue collar work across Canada, the WITT National Network is
mandated to:
 | act as a network and national advocacy group to help women
achieve and maintain employment in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work;
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| educate and assist business, labour, government and educators
by providing information and services and acting as a liaison among these groups;
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| foster the development of provincial, territorial, regional
and local WITT organizations by providing information and encouragement;
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| educate the public and private sectors about women’s
potential as tradespeople, technologists, and operational and blue collar workers; and,
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| recognize and celebrate the spirit, diversity and achievements
of women in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work.
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Since the late 1970s, WITT has worked hard to increase the
successful participation of women in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work.
In the early years, priority was placed on building local Women in Trades organizations
which provided information, assistance and advice to women, local colleges, governments,
employers and unions about integrating women in trades.
The founding conference of the National Network was held in 1992
and a head office opened in London, Ontario in 1994. There are now over 20 regional WITT
groups across Canada.
Since its formation, the WITT National Network has:
| designed a customized Employment Retention strategy to
develop, pilot test and market an employment retention model which will improve the
retention of women in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work;
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| developed and continues to promote the "National
Standards and Program Development Guidelines for WITT Courses and Trade Specific Courses
for Women";
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| worked with the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service
Council, the Canadian Labour Force Development Board, the Canadian Construction
Association and the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship to enhance the work
environment for women;
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| developed A Checklist of Strategies: Welcoming Women into
Trades, Technology, Operations and Blue Collar Work and The Recruitment Guide:
How to Recruit Women into Trades, Technology, Operations and Blue Collar Work and Training;
and,
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| launched a youth project which is funded by Human Resources
Development Canada, Construction Technology for Women, to provide training and work
placements for 260 young women in construction.
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In the Spring of 1994, the WITT National Network signed an
agreement with Human Resources Development Canada to establish the WITT National Network
Cross-Sectoral Human Resource Council. Today, WITT is working with more than 20 sector
councils to find solutions to Canada’s changing work force needs.
For more information on WITT, visit www.wittnn.com or write to: 10 Douglas Court, Unit 2,
London, Ontario, Canada N5W 4A7. Tel.: 800-895-WITT, fax: (519) 453-2087 or e-mail: info@wittnn.com. |
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