The four-page, easy-to-use, succinct legal-sized document covers program goals and objectives, course content, methodology, expected outcomes, industrial/technological sectors to be explored, and time frames. Course content is outlined in an easy reference chart which includes major sections on Professional Development, Occupational Health and Fitness, Work Related Skills (the recognition and use of safety tools and materials in a variety of hands-on settings), Handle Work Related Issues, Acquire Technological and Workplace Literacy, Career Exploration and Development, and Communications Skills. Each category is broken down into a number of tasks and/or personal skill-related areas that ultimately will enable students, particularly women, to effectively handle training and working in a TTO/BCW environment.

The next step was to gain profile and acceptance for the standards and guidelines, and more funding for programs and implementation. The standards were passed out at the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship Symposium, at the CLFDB Board meeting, and at the Board's National Apprenticeship Committee. They were available through the Canadian Vocational Association and at the National Consultation on Career Development, where WITT did workshops highlighting their use. They were mailed to Deputy Ministers and Assistant Deputy Ministers of Advanced Education and Skills Development across the country, and to the Deans of Trades and Technology at all community colleges, with a cover letter asking them to tell us how they were using the material.

Feedback was good. Comments included, "This is a set of entry-level standards for anyone entering trades or technical work"; "This course should be given to everyone in secondary school to prepare them for the world of work." Pleased with this response and the evident support, we at WITT were nevertheless concerned about the emphasis on "everyone." Women-only programming must continue to be available at the exploratory level to provide women with a supportive environment in which to try out new skills and take new risks. Our experience of difficult situations and changes in classroom environment as a result of admitting men to women-only programs has demonstrated that the option of women training with women must be maintained, at least until the dynamics of our socialization change and we have instructors in place who are committed to dealing effectively with mixed-gender technical classrooms.

During this period of developing and promoting the guidelines, we noticed the proliferation of short-term programs, offered particularly by private trainers taking advantage of end-of-fiscal-year EIC funding. This funding was being thrown haphazardly at the problem of attracting more women to technical occupations, and was resulting in short-term training programs of six or eight weeks that in no way met our standards. We felt it was time to interest EIC in adopting the guidelines.

We approached this challenge through a unique committee set up in B.C. called the Women's Employment Advisory Committee (WEAC). Co-chaired by the Women's Employment and Training Coalition (WETC) and the Director of Programs for the B.C./Yukon Region of EIC, this committee provides a vehicle for the analysis of the impact of EIC policy on those who are actually affected by it. While the group does not engage in individual advocacy work, specific situations often assist in highlighting necessary program or policy changes. WEAC presented the ideal environment in which to introduce the National Standards and Program Development Guidelines.

The initial response from EIC was that they could not assist us in implementing the guidelines since they did not have any direct input into curriculum development. We pointed out, however, that by controlling the time frames in which courses are taught the department did, indirectly, control both the curriculum and the quality of programming. After some discussion, it was acknowledged that EIC did have an important role to play in promoting adoption and implementation of the guidelines, and meetings were set up between WITT and Direct Purchase and Purchase of Training Managers, and Project Based Training Consultants. As a result of these meetings, B.C./Yukon EIC made a commitment to fund only those programs which met the standards and to encourage the incorporation of the standards and guidelines into project proposals.