Patti Schom-Moffat

The validity of the program should not be judged by how many graduates find work in trades or technology, but, in part, by the actual increase in average wage. In B.C., for example, the women were earning an average $4.77 /hour before they took the course which improved to $8.42 after. The average wage across Canada for WITT grads is $7.27 /hour where it had been $4.70 when they started the course. Although often twice what had been earned previously, such an increase still only means $17,000 annually which, for a single woman with two kids, is a poverty level income. This issue emerged in both the focus group interviews and the questionnaire data. The importance of the course is to let people know what the economic potential of jobs in trades or technology is and we must be careful that employers are not hiring women at lower wages to take the place of men. The aspiration of these women should not be just to land the job but also to earn the going rate.

An area for improvement identified by a number of women was the need for continued financial support from EIC for two and three year technical courses. One woman expressed her frustration this way: "I was so excited in choosing what I wanted. Then I was told that I couldn't do it." In B.C. 75% of respondents said the course met their expectation to a great degree. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba 64% felt this way and 50% in Alberta. Only eight of the 212 women surveyed said they had been disappointed.

A last interesting item from the questionnaire data is the different percentages of women who found they currently experience problems in the workplace. While 40% of the women employed in traditional jobs experienced no difficulties, only 13% in trades and technical fields had the same response. The problems identified most frequently were co-worker attitude, gender harassment, and lack of physical strength. Sexual harassment and a negative management attitude were identified often by both groups.

THE FOCUS GROUPS SURVEY

In New Brunswick there are no pre-trades or pre-technology programs, so those undertaking the survey gathered together two groups of women who had taken technical training without an orientation course. The biggest difference in the responses of these women was that they had felt unprepared for their foray into the labour market and had no expectations of the problems or situations they would encounter. It was as if they had missed exactly the kind of preparatory information and orientation offered in WITT-type courses.

In places where a women's employment counselling centre existed great praise was expressed for EIC's role in encouraging women to take the course and for providing them with resources, assistance, counselling, etc. Some strong criticism of EIC's role was heard from geographical areas that did not have women's employment centres. Women there reported that EIC counsellors suggested they find something that would be "more appropriate."