A new initiative is aiming to expand career opportunities for women in the construction industry and improve retention rates in a sector where women remain significantly underrepresented.
The Sisters in the Brotherhood Capacity Building Project (SIBCAP), launched by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) Canadian District, will focus on recruiting more women into skilled trades while creating support structures to help them stay in the industry. The program, funded in part by the federal government, will expand mentorship opportunities, advocacy efforts, and resources for women in construction, including cisgender and transgender women.
“Women continue to be our greatest untapped resource in the construction industry,” said Jason Rowe, vice-president of the UBC Canadian District. “In addition to better promoting career training and creating more job opportunities for women in construction, we must also focus on investing in supports to ensure their continued success within the industry.”
Vast majority of female carpenters leave trade in first 2 years
Women account for about 5% of the on-site construction workforce in Canada, according to a 2023 BuildForce Canada report. Retention remains a major challenge, particularly in carpentry, where 70.8% of women leave the trade within their first two years of apprenticeship, Statistics Canada data from 2022 shows.
As part of SIBCAP, 12 new Sisters in the Brotherhood committees will be established across Canada, in addition to strengthening its 31 existing committees. The expanded network will advocate for policies to break down barriers for women in skilled trades. The initiative will also launch a Resource Network to connect tradeswomen with employment supports, training, and workplace services.
Confidential reporting system
Another key element of the program will be the creation of a confidential reporting system for tradeswomen facing harassment or discrimination, providing a safer way to report workplace incidents without fear of retaliation.
“While recruiting more women into construction will always be an industry priority, systemic challenges mean this effort must be complemented by retention strategies and initiatives like SIBCAP,” said Rachelle Premack, Sisters in the Brotherhood liaison. “By increasing representation in our SIB committees and establishing a nationalized framework, our advocacy will help ensure more women find and stick with fulfilling careers working on the tools.”
SIBCAP is supported by a $563,319 investment from Women and Gender Equality Canada and a contribution from the Carpenters’ Regional Council, bringing the project’s total budget to $692,786 over 20 months.
