There, CCLOW-Newfoundland, in cooperation with the Newfoundland Association for Lifelong Learning, has been awarded an Innovations grant, under Canadian Jobs Strategy, to develop and implement a bridging program for women. Based on the Regina model, the Newfoundland program has as its primary goal, assisting women to access appropriate training, and in particular technical training. The proposal for the Newfoundland program is designed around 9 proposed modules including: grading, advocacy, personal development and a session in orientation to technology. Women will have access to the services of a vocational counselor to aid in individual assessments. Their classes will be held in the Adult Learning Centre (space is provided free). For women who need childcare and don't have transportation, a van will provide transportation to their childcare sites. There is no provision for a training allowance through Innovations. The women will be paid minimum wage. The plan is to have 20 participants for each program. The program was expected to begin November 1, 1987. Innovations funding will continue for 22 more months after which it is hoped that the province will continue funding this program and others like it across the province.

One impact of the privatization of funding for training has been that the federal government has made major cutbacks in the support it has historically provided for college-based bridging programs designed to assist women to move into training programs in non-traditional areas. Clearly, new approaches will be necessary if bridging programs are to be made available to women. Our research has shown that the voluntary sector has an important role to play, in partnership with public sector groups, in providing the kind of flexible training in 'learning to learn' which the Regina program seeks to provide. Hopefully, continued nation- wide publicity and support by CCLOW for programs like the ones ongoing in Regina and planned for St. John's will assist in creating suitable mechanisms for consistent support from governments.

4.3.2 Restructuring Access to Apprenticeships:

Another essential piece of the 'pathway' is the technical training which takes women beyond the limits of bridging programs and provides them with the opportunities to access high quality jobs in non-traditional areas. As our research has shown, relatively little training appears to accomplish this end. One area of particular concern, because of its historic importance, is apprenticeships. Despite the generally gloomy picture, we found a number of initiatives which were assisting women to gain access to apprenticeship positions in formerly non- traditional areas.

At General Motors (GM), in Oshawa, Ontario, for example, a new apprenticeship program for women is about to begin. The program was developed by the Chairperson of Youth and Women's Programs at Durham College, in consultation with General Motors' Apprenticeship Committee. It is funded through the Ontario Training Strategies, Special Projects Fund. Because the Apprenticeship Committee believed that women were not interested in entering apprenticeships, two program orientation sessions were organized. The Committee was very surprised when 100 women turned out. From this group 30 women were selected for two program sessions. Program goals are to assist women to enter pre-apprenticeship programs and to see more women doing well on the apprenticeship application test and going on into apprenticeships.

Women participating in the program must be employed at GM and they must have grade 12 education. On September 7, 1987, 2 groups of 15 started. Each group is on a different shift. The students take classes two evenings a week during the two weeks that they are on day shift. They also have classes every third Saturday. The program will finish in April, 1988. GM is also arranging to have the women do job shadowing while they are at work to get a closer look at specific jobs. The women are getting training (classroom and hands-on) in the skills that GM felt they were weak in -- technical math, blueprint reading, electrical mechanics, and generic tool skills. They will be taking a communications course that will deal with the interpersonal realities of apprenticeships. The Durham College staff person who originated the program proposal is optimistic that the results of the program will be positive because of the high level of interest of the women at GM and because of the support the program has received from GM management, the Canadian Auto Workers union and the Apprenticeship Committee in particular.