Jaren McLeod

Truck driver:

CCLOW NOVA SCOTIA PROPOSES TRAINING
IN NON-TRADITIONAL JOBS

With its long history of actively working to improve education and training opportunities for women, CCLOW is very concerned about the impact of the federal government's major new training initiative on women's access to quality skill training.

In September CCLOW Nova Scotia contracted with the Canadian Employment and Immigration Commission to research and develop a training program outline for women in non-traditional occupations under the Job Re-entry Program. Part of the Canadian Jobs Strategy the program is designed for women who have been out of the paid labour force for more than three years (or have worked less than 20 hours per week during that time). The skills training is contracted out to private coordinators who provide class-room training and locate hosts for on-the-job work experience. Since few programs funded under Job Re-entry are in non-traditional occupations, CCLOW-Nova Scotia identified opportunities in male-dominated occupations and prepared a course outline and recommendations for training coordinators.

Researchers Ann Brimer and Linda Roberts interviewed local employment and education counsellors, trades instructors, employers, and women in non-traditional occupations, as well as analyzing labour market statistics and newspaper advertisements. Groups of unemployed women completed a questionnaire on their attitudes toward non-traditional jobs.

After reviewing 37 occupations, two non-traditional training programs were recommended: management training for women with some university education and auto-parts clerk training for women with grade 10 to 12 background. To provide quality training, the management course must be no less than 40 weeks, and the auto-parts clerk course no less than 42 weeks. Detailed course outlines have been developed for both programs, and coordinators, trainers and a number of job placements have been identified.