The narrative that blue-collar work is a second-class profession is a stereotype that is deterring young people from entering skilled trades and holding back economic progress in Canada.Mandy Rennehan is a speaker, TV host, and founder and chief executive of Freshco, a construction management company focusing on retail facilities.
All girls and boys took shop class and home economics when I was in junior high more than 30 years ago, but these subjects were never seen as skills for future careers. They were presented as helpful life skills – something that could be an interesting hobby, perhaps, or help you whip up a decent weeknight meal.
I didn’t excel at academics, but I never forgot the passion I felt behind my first accomplishment in shop class. A tomboyish Yarmouth girl, I left home at 17 with a hockey bag filled with my worldly possessions, adamant about finding opportunities in the skilled trades. Just like being an academic wasn’t for me, the skilled trades aren’t for everyone, but they can be a great career for many. Blue-collar jobs aren’t stuck in the dark ages, and often incorporate modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation and robotics. It can be an exciting and sexy career path.
It can take decades to change social attitudes, but I’m hopeful that new perspectives from employers, parents, educators and organizations can have influence. When I speak as part of the Women in Skilled Trades and Jill of All Trades programs, young women from Grades 9 to 12 show up by the busload, curious about what the day will entail.