WEST Recognizes 200 Women In Skilled Trades Program

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Women in Skilled Trades and Class of Construction and Craft Trades for Women and WEST Staff and Board Members Celebrate 200 Women completing program.

This past Thursday Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. honoured guests, supporters, partners, funders at a Recognition Event at the Ciaciaro Club of Windsor. Over 78 guests came together in person to celebrate the community efforts which have led to 200 women completing CNC/Industrial Mechanic Millwright Pre-Apprenticeship Program and the Construction and Craft Trades programs.

Recognition certificates were received by the most recent program participants in the CNC/ Industrial Mechanic Millwright Pre-Apprenticeship. Program and the audience was addressed by Jennifer Devine a graduate of the WEST, Women in Skilled Trades Program and Electrical Apprentice at Ford Motor Company, and the Keynote speaker. Devine is a mother of four children who achieved her dream of working in the trades as a young girl spoke about the challenges, she overcome which led to her having the skills and confidence to transform steel into molds that create auto parts, including car grills, for the automotive industry.

“It was truly a special evening of recognition as we celebrated so many accomplishments: from the women who strove to explore careers in the skilled trades for themselves to our training and industry partners and staff who ensured these robust programs led to real opportunities and our honoured guests who came to acknowledge this milestone,” said Rose Anguiano Hurst, Executive Director of Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. (WEST). “We are grateful to be part of an incredibly supportive community and see women take great strides forward.”

The Women in The Skilled Trades Program (WIST) at Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. provides employment training and supports to low-income individuals who are unemployed or underemployed to gain sensitive in-class and on-the-job training to prepare them for employment in the manufacturing sector, providing confidence and guidance enabling them to become strong, independent women able to provide for themselves and their families. The program incorporates components not included in basic level training, such as job search and communications skills, computer literacy training, and various computer applications. The benefits of the placement are two-fold: trainees benefit from real-world exposure; industry benefits by reducing the training time for new employees and are paid a wage subsidy to offset training costs.

The WIST program will be accepting new women participants in August of 2022. Information and registration forms can be found on the WEST website, westofwindsor.com For more information about this program, you can email Gurpreet Chana, Program Manager at [email protected].

Gurpreet Chana, WEST Program Manager looks on as Brianna Payne (seated) watches her daughter, Ella Payne congratulates her classmate Jillian Danchuck on graduating from the Women In Skilled Trades Program at WEST’s Recognition event. Photo by Tobi Olawale