Record number of women enrolling in trade programs at Yorkton's Parkland College
Yorkton, Sask. -
Yorkton’s Parkland College has a record-breaking number of women enrolled in its’ skilled trade courses, with nine female students in welding, power engineering, and agricultural equipment programs.
Among those female students is Chantel Lindstrom, a 38-year-old single mom who has made a career change, after burn out from working as a COVID-19 screener during the pandemic.
“While it’s rewarding in itself, it wasn’t exactly a right fit for me, and I knew that. I just had to pull that trigger and nail down what trade I wanted to go into,” Lindstrom said.
The welding student plans to make art with her new skills.
“I chose welding because I get to be creative,” she said. “I’m hoping to produce some art, and its good money on the side.”
The Parkland College said it works with the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Government and Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) to bring more women into the skilled trade sector.
“We certainly focus on creating a safe, inclusive learning environment for all of our students regardless of gender, age, background,” Alison Dubreuil, Interim President and CEO of Parkland College said.
Women make up 10 per cent of apprentices in Saskatchewan, and almost six per cent of female apprentices are in “non-traditional” careers, according to the SATCC.
“Currently the labour market is so tight, and really, women are part of a vast untapped workforce that can be better utilized in our province for greater success,” Chris Stubbs, Director of Innovation and Inclusion with SATCC said.
The female students at Parkland College account for 22 per cent of students in the skilled trade programs.
Women in trades is not a new concept, and Lindstrom is proud to follow in her family’s footsteps.
“My grandmother was actually a welder and a mechanic, fixing planes in the air force when all the men went off to war, so it’s not an unheard of thing, I’m just so happy women now are deciding to enter that field,” Lindstrom said.
The tradition continues for Lindstrom. She wants to be an example for her two children and show them they can pursue any career, regardless of their gender.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPs prepare for return to Parliament as Ottawa marks one-year anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy'
Members of Parliament are making their way back to Ottawa ahead of resuming sitting on Monday, as the city prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of the arrival of 'Freedom Convoy' protesters.
WHO decision on COVID-19 emergency won't affect Canada's response: Tam
The World Health Organization will announce Monday whether it thinks COVID-19 still represents a global health emergency but Canada's top doctor says regardless of what the international body decides, Canada's response to the coronavirus will not change.
Video shows struggle for hammer during Pelosi attack
Video released publicly Friday shows the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fighting with his assailant for control of a hammer moments before he was struck during a brutal attack in the couple's San Francisco home last year.
What is going on with Bill C-11, the government's online streaming legislation?
The Liberals have spent years trying to pass online streaming legislation and now the current iteration, known as Bill C-11, is closer than ever to passing. With a potential parliamentary showdown ahead, here's what you need to know about how the contentious Broadcasting Act bill got to this stage.
Zellers rolling out food trucks for Canadians 'craving a taste of nostalgia'
Though you won't be able to sit on the old, cracked pleather benches and take in the thick smell of gravy and fries, while the gentle sound of clanging dishes provides the soundtrack for your lunch, Zellers plans to roll out food trucks for those 'craving a taste of nostalgia.'
'We must meet this moment': Trudeau says in speech to Liberal caucus
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on his Liberal caucus to meet the moment on Friday, as Canadians deal with the high cost of living, a struggling health-care system and the effects of climate change.
Pamela Anderson defends Tim Allen after flashing allegation
Pamela Anderson is addressing discussion about a story regarding her 'Home Improvement' co-star Tim Allen that is part of her new memoir, 'Love Pamela.'
What should Canada be doing about climate change? 25 recommendations
The national Net-Zero Advisory Body released 25 recommendations Friday for how Canada can adjust its climate plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 — a goal that the country is not on track to reach right now, according to the report.
Canadian government posts $3.6 billion deficit between April and November
The federal government posted a budgetary deficit of $3.6 billion in the first eight months of the fiscal year.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatchewan Jazz Festival moves to Victoria Park
The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is on the move.
-
'Just sick to my stomach': Sask. mom says cheer team asked daughter to hide self-harm scars
A Saskatchewan mother says her 13-year-old daughter is being shamed for her past mental health challenges.
-
Saskatoon fire sparked by paper shredder
Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) says a shredder was the cause of a fire at a document storage and destruction company early Friday.
Winnipeg
-
More schools closed after Manitoba middle school receives another threatening voicemail
Several schools in southeast Manitoba were closed Friday after a round of threatening voicemails came in over the last week.
-
'An opportunity': Manitoba finance minister quits for federal run
Manitoba's finance minister is stepping down to run for a seat in the House of Commons.
-
Premier says more money for Winnipeg Transit coming in budget
There are hints the municipal funding freeze imposed by the former Pallister Government could be thawing.
Calgary
-
25-30 vehicles involved in QE11 Highway crash near Carstairs: Alberta RCMP
The crash happened in the area of Highway 2 and Highway 581 just before 11:30 a.m.
-
Multiple crashes on Calgary roads as weather takes a turn
Upward of five centimetres of snow fell in Calgary early Friday morning and officials said conditions were good, but the situation deteriorated later on Friday, leading to plenty of crashes and road closures.
-
Amid signs of slowing spread of respiratory illnesses, Alberta hospitals remain busy
While outcomes like hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) stays are declining for diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza, Alberta hospitals remain busy with people suffering from various respiratory illnesses.
Edmonton
-
$50K awarded to innovators with ideas about how to stop catalytic converter thefts
An Edmonton woman and her daughter whose catalytic converter was stolen in 2022 have won $25,000 for a product police believe will deter thieves from stealing the automotive part.
-
Canada-wide warrant issued for 2 in 2021 Edmonton homicides, 3 in custody
Three people have been arrested in connection with two homicides in Edmonton last January and a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for two other people.
-
Abandoned pony found wandering in central Alberta, RCMP seek owner
Alberta RCMP are looking for the owner of a stray pony found abandoned in the area of Penhold.
Toronto
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | 3 people charged after allegedly impersonating homeowners to sell Toronto property
Three people have been charged after allegedly impersonating the owners of a Toronto home and selling it while they were away on vacation.
-
Sunwing plane forced to shut down engine mid-flight after take-off in Toronto
A Sunwing plane was forced to shutdown one of its engines midflight after experiencing issues after take off from Toronto.
-
Toronto Maple Leafs star Matthews sidelined for at least three weeks
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews will miss at least three weeks with a knee sprain, the team announced Friday.
Ottawa
-
Police increase downtown presence, access to Parliament Hill restricted on anniversary of 'Freedom Convoy' protest
Ottawa police and Bylaw Services are telling residents and visitors they will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to parking, noise and fireworks violations downtown this weekend, on the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration.
-
'Inexcusable and deeply troubling:' Ottawa police condemn Tyre Nichols' death as world braces for release of video
As the world awaits the release of a police video showing five officers viciously beating Tyre Nichols, Ottawa police have issued a statement condemning his death.
-
Man, 53, dies in workplace incident near Prescott, Ont.
Ontario's ministry of labour is investigating after a man died in a workplace incident near Prescott, Ont.
Vancouver
-
Bones found near Kamloops hiking trail identified as missing Kelowna man, police say
Mounties in Kamloops say the bones discovered along a hiking trail near the Trans Canada Highway last week have been identified as belonging to a Kelowna man who went missing in November.
-
B.C. offender deemed 'high-risk' currently at large, RCMP say
Mounties are searching for a "high-risk" offender currently at large in B.C's southern Interior.
-
Vancouver opens additional warming centres and shelters ahead of cold snap
Warming centres and shelters across the Lower Mainland are preparing for what’s expected to be a bitterly cold weekend.
Montreal
-
Holocaust remembrance: Survivor, born in Nazi concentration camp, recounts early years
Angela Orosz is one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust. On Dec. 21, 1944, she was born in a concentration camp. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazis and collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. More than two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population was killed.
-
A Quebec coroner says Montreal's Champlain Bridge needs anti-suicide barrier
A Quebec coroner says Montreal's Samuel-De Champlain Bridge must have a suicide-prevention barrier installed, after a 38-year-old man jumped to his death from the structure last May.
-
Police make 3 more arrests after teen attacked with hammer at Montreal high school
Three more people have been arrested in connection with a hammer attack on a 16-year-old boy Monday outside a school in Montreal North, police said Friday.
Vancouver Island
-
Nanaimo RCMP called after body found on roadway
The Nanaimo RCMP are investigating after a person was found dead along a street just outside the Harbour City on Friday morning.
-
Vancouver Island city councillor charged with assault
A Vancouver Island city councillor is on a mandatory leave of absence after he was charged with assault. Court documents show Coun. David Frisch was charged with assault against an intimate partner following an incident on Jan. 7.
-
Province says 'significant efforts' underway to end ER closures on northern Vancouver Island
The British Columbia government says "significant efforts" are underway to improve access to health care on northern Vancouver Island, where prolonged emergency room closures have become routine since the summer.
Atlantic
-
Yarmouth man found guilty of second-degree murder in death of Colton Cook
A jury has delivered a guilty verdict in the 2020 murder of a man from the Yarmouth, N.S., area.
-
Moncton fire department gives update on woman, children sent to hospital
With three structure fires in three days, it's been a busy week for the Moncton Fire Department.
-
As faculty strikes, N.S. Premier Tim Houston announces medical school for Cape Breton University
The Nova Scotia government will help open a medical school at Cape Breton University, the same post-secondary institution that saw faculty go on strike Friday, by fall 2025.
Northern Ontario
-
North Bay, Ont., woman was discriminated against when she was fired, tribunal rules
The manager of a Tim Hortons in North Bay was wrong to fire a long-term employee because of her physical limitations, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has ruled.
-
Sudbury woman killed when snowmobile goes through ice
The body of a 29-year-old Sudbury nurse was recovered Wednesday night from a lake near Parry Sound after her snowmobile went through the ice, police say.
-
Six charged, $20K in drugs seized in Iroquois Falls bust
Police seized about $20,000 in narcotics in a raid of a northern Ontario home on Wednesday and now six people are facing charges.
Kitchener
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING | Van towed away from area of sudden death investigation in Perth County
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have shut down a section of Perth Road 122 north of Stratford, Ont. as officers investigate a sudden death.
-
Elmira woman calls her rare condition 'really degrading', prepares for surgery in Arizona
An Elmira woman born with Pectus Excavatum, a condition where her ribcage is caved in, is getting set for a life-changing surgery in May.
-
Rental vacancies in Waterloo region reach 20-year low: CMHC
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says the vacancy rate in Waterloo region has sunk to its lowest point in 20 years.