Women Welding Success
Fanshawe, in partnership with CWB Welding Foundation, was selected as 1 of 14 institutions across Canada to host a fully funded welding program targeting women and women-identifying individuals. This program provided practical theory, hands-on welding training and skills development in a safe and supportive environment.
Participants came together to foster personal growth, confidence, and experiential learning while exploring welding and other welding-related skilled trades careers.
Details
The Women of Steel program took place over 11 weeks.
All participants were provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. This included safety boots, a welding jacket and gloves and a welding helmet.
Qualifying participants may have been eligible for funding to offset certain expenses (travel, childcare, technology etc.).
What to Expect
The program’s blended delivery included both in-person and online components. Participants experienced:
- 350 hours of in-class and lab training. This training ran 5 days a week
- 70 hours of online training to be completed in sync with in-class and lab training
Participants were trained in several welding processes with the ability to obtain up to 6 CWB welding qualifications in various positions. Training across multiple processes helped prepare participants for the next step of their career, which could be apprenticeship, post-secondary education or industry employment. Upon completion of the program, participants:
- Developed competencies in job safety skills and awareness of workplace hazards
- Acquired practical hands-on experience with a variety of stationary and portable power tools
- Acquired skills and knowledge to make a successful transition to an entry-level position in the industry
- Demonstrated the ability to apply mathematical concepts to the welding field
- Completed the theoretical and practical requirements for a level 1 welding apprenticeship and be prepared to take the welding apprenticeship level 1 exam
The Women of Steel project also featured a mentorship component to help participants advance their careers in welding, fabrication and other professions while developing industry relationships.
In order to achieve a certificate of completion and receive CWB welding tickets, students were required to complete all courses in the program.
Eligibility and Registration
The Women of Steel program is not currently being offered. To inquire about other trades-related programming, please reach out to cts@fanshawec.ca.
About CWB Welding Foundation
The CWB Welding Foundation is a national registered charity that relies on the support of industry and community organizations to address the welding skilled trade shortage in Canada. Through education-based programs and initiatives, we continue to reduce barriers that affect key groups; elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and educators, indigenous people, women, and the underrepresented. We envision a future where all individuals are encouraged and provided the support needed to reach their true potential in a career in welding regardless of identity factors, social and financial status, and lived experiences including gender, age, ethnicity, language, literacy, culture, income, and geographical location.
The Women of Steel™ program is a platform for introducing the welding trade in a safe way to young Canadian women with an interest in exploring the trade. We focus on continual enforcement of safe and proper work procedures, while appropriate conduct, behaviour and student expectations are also imperative.
The Women of Steel™ program is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Women Employment Readiness Pilot Program.
To learn more, visit the CWB Welding Foundation Women of Steel webpage.
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