The Government of Prince Edward Island is pleased to renew its support of the Trade HERizons project, says Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning Allen Roach.

“Trade HERizons is an 11-week career exploration project offered free of charge to women interested in pursuing trades and industrial technologies,” said Minister Roach. “Through Skills PEI, my department has signed an agreement with Women’s Network PEI that allows the not-for-profit organization to enter its fifth year of administration of the Trade HERizons project.”

The Trade HERizons Project is designed for women seeking a new or challenging career, who enjoy hands-on work, and are either unemployed or underemployed. Training includes hands-on experience, workplace safety, problem solving, conflict resolution, job search skills, math, etc. The Trade HERizons Project is designed to increase the number of women who are exposed to trade and technology career options, in turn leading to an increased number of women who are in trade and industrial technology careers. Other project objectives include increasing the number of women in non-traditional programs at the post-secondary level, encouraging more females to register in apprenticeship training, as well as developing a support network of women working in non-traditional trades.

The Province is investing $183,000 through the Canada-Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement and the Labour Market Agreement via the Skills PEI division of the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning.

“One key to Trade HERizons’ success has been our partnerships with government, training institutions and community organizations,” said Cathy Ronahan, Trade HERizons Project Co-ordinator. “The hands-on experiences provided to Trade HERizons participants at Holland College is one of these wonderful partnerships. For 2013-14, we have an added partnership with Habitat for Humanity where participants will have even more hands-on experience in the construction trades.”

The full-time course will be offered twice, one beginning the end of September 2013 and the other beginning January 2014, and applications are now being accepted.

“It has often been said that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ It is important for women to see trades and technology careers as viable options. Having more women involved in the trades and industrial technologies fields will have a positive impact on future career choices for girls and young women. Further, increasing the number of skilled workers in PEI will be beneficial for the entire province,” said Valerie E. Docherty, Minister of Community Services and Seniors, and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.

For more information about Trade HERizons, contact Cathy at Women’s Network PEI by phoning 368-5040 or toll free 1-888-362-7373, via e-mail at cathy@wnpei.org or visit www.wnpei.org/trade-herizons.