Women in Trades: Progress Report

Canada's skilled trades sector faces a significant demographic challenge as an aging workforce approaches retirement while fewer young people are choosing careers in trades. Despite the economic importance of these occupations and growing labour shortages, women remain substantially underrepresented across most trades. Longstanding barriers affecting entry, career progression, and retention continue to inhibit women’s participation, thereby limiting the sector’s ability to leverage the broader talent pool.

This report examines the systemic barriers that prevent women from entering and succeeding in skilled trades, while identifying strategies and initiatives designed to address these challenges. The analysis draws on Canadian and international experiences to understand both the obstacles women face and the approaches being taken by governments, employers, unions, and educational institutions to promote greater inclusion and equity within the trades.

The report is structured to examine barriers and solutions across societal, organizational, and individual levels. It begins by analyzing the current landscape of women's participation in skilled trades, then explores the multi-layered barriers that perpetuate gender disparities, and concludes by reviewing initiatives and practices aimed at advancing women's workforce integration in the trades sector.