Deadline: 1-Dec-22
The Government of Canada is inviting applications for Women in Skilled Trades Initiative under Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy which focuses on funding projects that recruit, retain, and help women apprentices succeed in the 39 eligible Red Seals trades found predominately in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
This funding process builds on the results of the Apprenticeship Service program which helps small and medium-sized employers hire first-year apprentices in the same 39 Red Seal trades.
The Government of Canada announced the creation of the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy (CAS). This new framework aims to encourage Canadians to explore, prepare for, participate and succeed in apprenticeships and careers in the skilled trades. It supports Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) apprenticeship initiatives and programs and helps addressing ongoing challenges across apprenticeship systems. The Women in the Skilled Trades Initiatives falls under this new framework.
Objectives
- They will fund projects that aim to recruit, retain and help exclusively women apprentices succeed in 1 of the 39 eligible Red Seal trades by (but not limited to):
- Creating partnerships with women’s groups, community colleges, unions or employers to recruit women
- Organizing women-led events as an outreach tool to help attract women to the trades industry
- Offering mentorship by female role models, women-in-the-skilled-trades networks, and opportunities to share success stories
- Creating a welcoming space where women can feel comfortable and safe in the training and work sites.
Funding Information
- Eligible organizations can apply for up to $3,000,000 for a project that is up to 48 months in duration.
Eligible Projects
Your project must meet all of the following criteria:
- Target women apprentices in 1 of the 39 eligible Red Seal trades that are designated under the Interprovincial Standard Red Seal Program in the province(s) or territory(ies) in which proposed activities will be undertaken
- Have contributions from sources other than Employment and Social Development Canada:
- Cash contributions equal to or more than 10% of the total project cost , including the amount contributed by ESDC
- In-kind contributions are acceptable in lieu of cash contributions if you can demonstrate that you face any of these challenges:
- Remote location
- Infrastructure
- limited partnership opportunities.
- Have contributions from sources other than Employment and Social Development Canada:
Eligible Activities
- Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Organizing women-led events
- Creating partnerships with women’s groups, community colleges, unions or employers to promote the 39 eligible Red Seal trades
- Supporting women’s progression through a Red Seal apprenticeship in 1 of the 39 eligible Red Seal trades
- Offering mentorship by female role models, women-in-the-skilled-trades networks, and opportunities to share success stories
- Creating a welcoming workplace where women can feel comfortable and safe in work sites
- Providing wrap-around supports, such as guidance, tutoring, childcare support, flexible childcare arrangements.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants
- Your organization must be located in Canada and be 1 of the following types:
- Union representing workers in Red Seal trades or an organization managing training funds for Red Seal trades workers, for example:
- A joint training fund set up by a union
- a union and an employer association
- Not-for-profit organization
- For-profit organization (provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives)
- Municipal government
- Indigenous organization including:
- Band council
- Tribal council
- Self-government entity
- Provincial and territorial government including:
- Agency
- Institution
- Crown Corporation.
- Union representing workers in Red Seal trades or an organization managing training funds for Red Seal trades workers, for example:
For more information, visit CAS.
For more information, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/women-skilled-trades-initiative.html









































