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VAUGHAN, ONT. — To mark International Women’s Day, the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is encouraging more women to pursue careers in the skilled trades and is calling for employers and governments to continue promoting the industry.

Women currently account for less than five per cent of construction workers, yet close to 100,000 workers will be needed in Ontario alone by 2030, states a release.

According to BuildForce Canada, women make up only 4.8 per cent of new apprentice registrations.

RESCON has been working to push back against stereotypes and encourage women to take up careers in the trades. For several years, RESCON has been sponsoring the Young Women in Science, Technology and Trades Conference at Durham College. RESCON also places several female students with employers on residential construction sites each year through a partnership with George Brown College and has hosted a number of Women in Construction webinars where women in the trades and professionals discuss topics such as their experiences and what must be done to recruit and ensure women stay in the skilled trades.

“With the existing labour shortage, we must ensure the industry attracts more women to the construction trades and management,” said Amina Dibe, manager of government and stakeholder relations at RESCON, in a statement. “There are some rewarding career opportunities available for women in construction. The best way to get more women into the industry is to create an environment where they can gain first-hand experience and become more confident to pursue a career in the sector.”