New group, Women in Trades and Technology, launches in Timmins

The Timmins Chamber of Commerce served as a backdrop for the launch of a new group called Women in Trades and Tech Timmins on Thursday.

A general meeting of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce served as a backdrop for the launch of a new group called Women in Trades and Tech Timmins -- or WITT, for short.

WITT co-chair Ashley Richards-Gagnon said many women are working in trade- and tech-related fields in the community, but most of them are behind a desk.

“Less than five per cent of the community are women in the trades, which is still very low,” said Richards-Gagnon.

“It would be nice to see more women get hands-on work.”

WITT’s mission is to foster an inclusive and supportive network for women working in trades and technology across all sectors. Men are encouraged to join the group as allies.

Phil Archambault, owner of Fountain Tire, is one of WITT’s founding sponsors.

“Women have a lot of great skill sets that are valuable to either mechanical work or tech work, so we feel it’s important to explore that opportunity and maybe it’s fit for them,” said Archambault.

His daughter, Lindsay Walker, is learning a variety of jobs at the family-owned business, including tire changeovers.

“Of course, I was intimidated by it,” said Walker.

“I mean, this is a shop full of men who know what they’re doing, and have known for years, right, but I felt like I almost needed to do this to prove to myself that, you know, that I could and kind of give inspiration to other women.”

Richards-Gagnon said one of the biggest obstacles to overcome is education.

Starts with education

“It all starts from education: education at home and from the guidance counsellors,” she said.

“A lot of young students, they don’t know the different opportunities there are in the construction industry. And if you don’t grow up in that environment, it’s hard to know about it. I feel that high schools … really pushed university. Even though going to college or going into the trades directly is a really good option.”

Membership to WITT is set at $25 to ensure accessibility and to remove barriers. It’s open to all individuals working in trades and technology, from welders and electricians to cooks and greenhouse technicians.

If you work with your hands, solve problems and build systems, Richards-Gagnon said you belong.