The Pre-Trades Training for Women program is a 12-week course designed for women who are serious about a career in the trades. The program is offered in cooperation with the Saskatchewan Technical Institute. Twenty-two women are sponsored by Employment and Immigration Canada and the Non-Status Indian and Metis Program for each session.

The next scheduled courses will begin in September 1983 and February 1984. During the course, the women are involved in classroom sessions, shop training and work placements.

Classroom time covers such areas as work conditions, experiences of women now in the trades, preparing resumes, assertiveness training, searching for employers and training opportunities.

Shop training, held at STI in Moose Jaw, provides an introduction to a variety of trade. An overview is given on each trade taught at the institute. Hands on experience is included. Exposure is also given to other training programs offered in Saskatoon.

The placements give each woman a chance to develop some basic skills and experience in Actual work situations for a four week period.

Toni had worked on a factory assembly line in Ontario for many years. In her spare time, she enjoyed helping her husband ,with backyard mechanics.

Her main interest in the Pre-Trades program was auto body repair. Although she found her work placement had problems because quotas set for her co-workers gave them little time to share their expertise with her, she understood the situation and felt returning to technical school would be her best avenue. She intends to pass her skills along to her husband, after which they wish to open a shop of their own.

Ashmita, known as Ash to her classmates, is originally from London, England. Her fellow classmates marvelled at the way she excelled in her introduction to almost every trade at the STI session.

She found working in a traditional office atmosphere dull, and encourages women who are interested in the trades to pursue their interest. She is interested in the field of auto mechanics.