Image Credit: Adam Donnelly / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

DIVERSITY IN TRADES

TRU hosts PPE showcase to bolster trades inclusivity

Oct 18, 2023 | 11:41 AM

KAMLOOPS — It’s hard to ‘dress for the job you want’ when the clothing for it doesn’t exist. For women in trades, properly-fitted safety gear hasn’t been widely available until recently.

Tuesday night (Oct. 17), Thompson Rivers University partnered with Mark’s for a showcase event of personal protective equipment (PPE) for women and people with diverse body types.

Trades professionals who have spent years dealing with work clothing designed for male body types say having items that fit properly isn’t just for comfort. On a jobsite, ill-fitting clothing can pose a safety hazard.

“Back in the day, it was just your oldest pair of jeans because there were no women’s work coveralls,” recalls red seal electrician Lisa Newman, “and you just hoped not to lose that screwdriver because they didn’t come with a screwdriver holder like the rest of the work pants.”

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It’s why the PPE showcase has received high praise from current and former trades students.

“It’s not just pink,” notes TRU alum and journeyperson electrician Alison Klie, “For a long time, that’s all there was. They were like, ‘Oh, it’s pink!’ But it’s actually not rated and not able to be used on the jobsite regularly.”

The ‘fashion show’ isn’t really about fashion at all. The event is meant to highlight the need for safety-rated gear designed for different body types — women, pregnant people, or people with disabilities or diverse needs.

Jordan Rosenlund, Mark’s Commercial, Business Development Manager, attended Tuesday night’s event, and says the company is proud to boost the amount of inclusive PPE options to keep people safe on site.

“Companies like Mark’s are heavily investing in women in trades and ensuring that, when they choose this great occupation, they will be welcomed and will be able to go home safe to their families at the end of the day.”

TRU’s Dean of Trades and Technology Baldev Pooni says Canada-wide, women only make up about four per cent of the trades workforce. However at TRU, the number is growing.

The showcase event was also designed to serve as a networking opportunity between working professionals, and students learning a trade.

“As many as 20 per cent of our students are women,” notes Pooni. “We are four to five times the national average of people participating in trades.”

And with more female workers, the need for inclusive sizing has also grown. Having safe PPE is just one aspect of the work, but for women who have made do with improper gear, it’s a big part of making the trades feel more accessible to others.

“I have really gotten the chance to see the industry change — and not just in seeing more women, but in seeing men be more open to having a woman leader,” adds Klie.

“You used to only see one woman in the class,” Newman says. “Now you’ve got a whole class full of women, so to see that change is great.”