Coaldale Home Hardware hosts young women’s trades workshop

Times Photo by Kristine Jean. TRADES WORKSHOP: Tyler Platt, an electrician from Taber and one of two trade industry experts participating in a hands-on trades workshop, talks with Grade 10 student from Raymond High School, Abigail Lynch (left) and Grade 12 student Kaitlyn Foss also from Raymond High School, about electrical wiring during the event.

• Students learn and gain hands-on experience in “Spark Your Skills” event

By Kristine Jean
Southern Alberta Newspapers

CAREERS: The Next Generation (CTNG) and industry experts recently partnered with Coaldale Home Hardware Building Centre to give young, female students a glimpse into a career in the trades. 

The “Spark Your Skills” hands-on trades workshop for students in Grades 10-12 was hosted by the Coaldale Home Hardware Building Centre on Feb. 5. 

The initiative is part of the Young Women in Trades and Technology (YWITT) program, which supports young women exploring skilled trades.  

“We’re really grateful for the opportunity, especially in the rural regions because there’s fewer opportunities for young women who are interested in the trades to learn about the trades,” said CTNG program coordinator, Alicia Hughes, noting the important partnership with Home Hardware. “The goal of this event is to just get their feet, let them dabble with the trades, get some more information about careers and get connected to local resources as well.” 

Kaitlyn Foss of Raymond is a Grade 12 student at Raymond High School and her friend Abigail Lynch, a Grade 10 student also from Raymond High School, were two of the participants in the trades workshop. Lynch said she enjoyed learning about the trades and the future career options available to her and other young women. 

“(I’m here) just to see some of the opportunities I can have after high school and what I should go in and study for,” said Lynch. 

Victor Blake, a plumber and gas fitter from Coalhurst and electrician Tyler Platt from Taber, were industry experts on hand to help teach skills to the young women during the workshop. They also shared about what they do in their respective jobs and noted the high demand for this type of work with plenty of career opportunities for young women. 

Coaldale Home Hardware Building Centre dealer-owner Mark Heinen, said the workshop demonstrates some of the values shared by his family and staff in “valuing young people, giving them opportunities and pairing that with the trades.”

“That is a big part of our business, and encouraging people to go into the trades,” said Heinen, who owns several other rural Home Hardware stores across the region and noted it was the first time they have hosted such an event in Coaldale.  

He pointed out some of the benefits of the trades workshop.    

“Even looking at the possibilities of things they can do. Whether it is a career in the trades or skill-set learning … (with) plumbing and electrical, they’re skills that could be used throughout a lifetime,” said Heinen.