Women do not have the same access as men to the informal networks that are often the gate-ways to opportunity in the skilled trades. In the case of men, informal networks, sometimes based on family ties, may have traditionally been an important point of access into apprenticeship. Women tend to have limited access to such networks (SPR Associates, 2002A; WITT-Alberta, 2000; Madsen, 1999; ). As a result, women face a number of barriers that many men do not face:

• Little early exposure to the trades, and mechanical and technical work
• No involvement with family businesses that involve the trades
• Little encouragement from informal mentors to develop an interest in the trades
• Lack of information about where to apply for apprenticeships, and seldom approached by informal family contacts ()
• Lack of foundational skills and aptitudes normally acquired by men through father-son relationships (SPR Associates, 2002)

Despite some success stories, most initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of women in apprenticeship and the trades have not succeeded. While taking note of initiatives aimed at generally raising the profile of apprenticeship and the trades, many commentators have noted that initiatives aimed at promoting apprenticeship to women have not succeeded in raising their numbers in apprenticeship programs.

Of course, there are notable exceptions to this general observation, such as the many projects undertaken by various chapters of Women in Trade and Technology (WITT). But overall, there is an impression that women are not receiving the right sort of information or communication about the trades and apprenticeship (). Such assistance would include opportunities to take exploratory or pre-employment courses to foster or develop an interest in the trades, and learn crucial coping skills that might allow women to thrive in non-traditional occupations (SaskWITT, 2001; WITT-Alberta, 2000; ).

Specifically, it has been noted that passive approaches to raising women’s interest in the trades are not an effective promotional strategy. Rather, key agents in apprenticeship must make a concerted effort to actively recruit women if they hope to dismantle the pervasive background barriers that prevent women from entering the trades (Dancey, 2002; Grzetic, 1998; ).

The presence of strong role models — such as women who teach or work in the non-traditional trades—is perhaps one of the strongest remedies to deeply ingrained societal attitudes about gendered work (Madsen, 1999; SPR Associates, 2002; WITT-Alberta, 2000; ). Female role models are convincingly able to relate to girls and young women on a number of issues, encouraging them to develop their mathematical, scientific and technical interests, providing advice and support about entering the non-traditional workplace, and dealing with difficult co-workers or non-supportive family members (SPR Associates, 2002). As a result, women who have been positively influenced by role models are more likely to believe that math, science and engineering careers are compatible with family and marriage responsibilities.

The departure of role models can be an interrupting factor. In one instance, when a training program for women had drawn to a close, many of its female participants withdrew from their apprenticeships, because their role models had disappeared. Having also lost a valuable support system, these women were left on their own to deal with harassment and other issues of discrimination in the workplace ().

To be sure, many women have succeeded in apprenticeship and entered productive careers in the trades thanks to the positive influence and support they received from male role models (WITT-Alberta, 2000; ). On the whole, however, these cases are not numerous, and it would seem that the lack of female role models in the trades might be a significant barrier to the more extensive inclusion of women in the apprenticeship and trades system.