For Grade 10 St. Thomas of Villanova student Zuriel-Joy Bogchie, Jill of All Trades was exactly what she needed to re-affirm her desire to get into the skilled trades.
"It's nice to see there's young women like me who want to be in the trades," said Bogchie, who has attended skilled trades events in the past, but nothing to the scale of Jill of All Trades. "You see people who are around your same age and are also women, and it keeps you interested."
It's the second time St. Clair College has hosted the event, which brought in 100 young women from Grades 9 to 12 from high schools across Windsor-Essex for the day-long event on May 21, 2025. Those who attended were exposed to a variety of workshops focusing on occupations in the skilled trades.
"Jill of All Trades is an excellent opportunity for young women to participate in hands-on activities and engage practically with different trades," said Lido Zuccato, the Chair of the School of Skilled Trades at St. Clair College. "Taking the first step can often be the hardest, but the chance to physically create something is a vital first step towards building the confidence needed to explore a career in the trades."
Students were split into groups and visited four workshops, including areas with a focus on electrical, welding, powerline and sheet metal and HVAC.
These events provided a safe and engaging learning environment where female mentors, faculty and students engaged in skilled trades workshops. Through this introduction to non-traditional roles, Jill of All Trades aims to increase post-secondary enrolment in the trades to address the skilled trades shortage.
Over the next five years, Canada will need at least 75,000 new tradespersons to fill the gap of people retiring - and that does not even consider the natural growth the trades may see. Meanwhile, only five per cent of skilled trades workers in Canada identify as women and only two per cent of 15-year-old female students indicate they are planning to pursue a career in the skilled trades.
One of those students interested in entering the trades is Alena Bondy, also a Grade 10 student at Villanova.
"Are there actually other girls in the industry?" Bondy once asked her father, who is a carpenter. "And the answer is yes, there is, so it's nice to know that and see that firsthand. It's really great to see how many young girls are in interested in this, because it's still not that common."
Bondy appreciated the variety of different trades on offer, as well as the fact that she got to take away everything she made, including a power cord, toolbox and welded tulip.
"I think try new things. I always try new things when I have the opportunity, because you never know if you'll like something unless you try," Said Bondy.
Last year's inaugural event hosted by St. Clair College had 60 participants, a number which grew to 100 this year - and a number Lido Zuccato would like to see grow again in the future.
"The demand is already exceeding that. So, if things go well next year, we may be able to expand even larger than we're at right now," Zuccato said.
