According to Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC), women in trades and technical roles represent only seven per cent of the workforce while female powerline technicians represent less than five per cent of the trade positions available nationally. Utilities Kingston has partnered with the Women of Powerline Technicians (Women of PLT) organization to promote gender diversity in the trade. This national not-for-profit organization is committed to increasing the representation of women in trades and technical roles within Canada’s electricity sector. “Our vision is to see every gender represented on every distribution operations crew,” says Lana Norton, Executive Director and Founder of Women of Powerline Technicians. “This partnership is a great way for Utilities Kingston to promote diversity, inclusion and equality in the trades. That’s why we are proud to be a partner of the Women of Powerline Technicians organization,” says Jim Keech, President and CEO of Utilities Kingston.
Utilities Kingston partners with Women of Powerline Technicians to promote diversity, inclusion and equality in the trades - By Katie McNichols Human Resources Advisor, Utilities Kingston
The partnership included a $1,000 bursary for one student in a recognized powerline technician post-secondary diploma program. The bursary was open to any student, of any gender, registered in a full-time Powerline Technician program in the province of Ontario. Chloe Smith, a second-year student in the Powerline Technician program at Algonquin College, was awarded the bursary in 2019. She says that there are very few women in the program and, while the students and teachers in her program are inclusive and accepting, one of the challenges she faces is that people sometimes underestimate her ability to lift and gather the right equipment. “The ability to work in any trade does not depend on your gender, but on having the skills and knowledge, and demonstrating the safe work practices to contribute fully to an organization’s success. I hope that more women will join the powerline technician trade. Including more women in a male-dominated field will give a unique and different perspective to the trades,” says Chloe.
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mploying and supporting a diverse team of people isan important element in creating an inclusive and engaged workforce. A diverse employee base is known to bring many benefits to a company including a broad talent and skill pool, innovation through different points-of-view, improved performance and overall community development. While there are many ways to define diversity – such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more – this article focuses on improving the gender gap that is apparent in the skilled trades.
Utilities Kingston supports an inclusive workplace and we are proud to celebrate and support the achievements of women. Shown, are some of the women leading the way for the utility company.
For more information on Women of PLT, or to become a partner, visit https://womenofplt.com
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canadian electricity association - THE GRID 2020 | transformation