Supporting women apprentices in Canadian manufacturing
HerJourney
Are you a woman apprentice, certified journeyperson, ally or employer with experience hiring women in trades? We want to hear from you.
HerJourney is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy.
- HerJourney
- Training
- Workplace Assessment
HerJourney is committed to increasing the success, support, and retention of women apprentices in Red Seal trades within Canada’s vibrant manufacturing sector.
Specific objectives are to:
- Conduct research to understand the scope and unique challenges faced by women apprentices in manufacturing;
- Provide women apprentices with activities, support, resources, and training, including mentorship and leadership development services, to strengthen their desire to remain within the manufacturing industry;
- Increase visibility, understanding, acceptance of the unique challenges faced by women apprentices in manufacturing; and
- Provide employers with the resources and supports they need to take action to mitigate the identified challenges that women apprentices experience in manufacturing workplaces.
Inclusive Workplace Certification Training is now available through EMC’s Manufacturing Essentials Certification training platform!
This program is designed for anyone that works with, leads, or supports women apprentices, such as mentors, journeypersons, lead hands, supervisors and managers. Participants gain knowledge and skills to improve workplace culture and create inclusive environments that attract and retain diverse talent. For more information, or to register, click here.
The HerJourney Workplace Assessment is now available! The assessment is an opportunity for employers to gain meaningful insights into their organization’s workplace culture and specifically what’s working and what can be improved to attract and retain women in skilled trades and manufacturing roles. This easy-to-use tool collects workplace information and provides employers a customized report detailing clear and actionable recommendations tailored for each participating organization.
What does the assessment cover?
The assessment evaluates your company across four key areas:
– Attraction and Education: Attracting and educating women about manufacturing opportunities.
– Recruitment: Ensuring unbiased recruitment practices.
– Retention: Creating inclusive environments to retain women employees.
– Advancement: Providing equal opportunities for women’s career advancement.
For more information please see our FAQ document or contact Sherene Mitchell, Project Manager.
HerJourney Storytelling Videos
HerJourney
Series Trailer
Beverly Roach
General Machinist
Katherine Hale
Industrial Mechanic
Lilly Wood
Welder / Fabricator
Anita Baker
Upstream Superintendent
Payten Willmets
Welder / Fabricator
Bet Smith
Carpenter
Leigh Wall
Industry Partnership Specialist
Lyla Armstrong
Project Coordinator
Daron Bougie
Apprentice Carpenter
Leanne Harris
General Machinist
Angie Lafferty
General Manager, Production Engineering
Mahogany Etue
Industrial Electrician
Jodell Clingo
Welder
Karen Castor
Carpenter
HerJourney Podcast
Presented by Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) – Canada’s largest manufacturing network – and produced by Memory Tree Productions, the HerJourney Podcast goes beyond the shop floor to explore what it takes to thrive in industries where women have long been underrepresented. Through open, insightful conversations with tradeswomen, mentors, and industry leaders, the series uncovers how confidence, mentorship, and inclusion are shaping a stronger, more sustainable future for Canadian manufacturing.
Whether you’re already in the trades, considering a career in manufacturing, or simply inspired by stories of resilience and reinvention, HerJourney offers a fresh, empowering perspective on what it means to build a future with your own hands.
8. Building a New Life
Daron Bougie found her calling in carpentry and construction after joining an Indigenous women’s program that introduced her to hands-on work. Today, she’s a carpentry apprentice at Tooketree Passive Homes, helping build energy-efficient homes across Ontario. Her path into the skilled trades reflects persistence, community, and redefining what a career in construction can look like for women.
In this episode, Daron talks about entering the trades without a traditional background, learning on the job, and building confidence in spaces that weren’t always designed with women in mind. Her story highlights the power of mentorship, representation, and determination in shaping the future of women in trades and sustainable construction.
Whether you’re a woman apprentice, an employer, or an ally, discover how you can help strengthen the future of women in Canada’s manufacturing trades at emccanada.org/herjourney
7. From Sparks to Strategy
Laura Potje has been shaping the future of welding and manufacturing education for over 40 years. From her early days welding forestry equipment and uranium refineries to her current role as an instructor at Conestoga College, Laura’s seen the trades evolve – and she’s helped drive that change.
In this episode, she reflects on her journey through the welding industry, the value of mentorship, and the programs she’s built to bring more women into skilled trades, like Conestoga’s “Girls Garage Night” and “Women’s One-Day Welding.” Her story is one of perseverance, progress, and pride in teaching the next generation of tradespeople to see welding as both art and opportunity.
Whether you’re a woman apprentice, an employer, or an ally, discover how you can help strengthen the future of women in Canada’s manufacturing trades at emccanada.org/herjourney
6. Built for Her
Sally Morse is the founder and CEO of Spectra Supply Inc., a Calgary-based manufacturer creating safety equipment and PPE designed specifically for women in trades and manufacturing. With a background in psychology and business, she’s challenging the “one-size-fits-all” approach to workplace safety.
In this episode, Sally shares how inclusive design can save lives, the business case for equity, and the leadership lessons behind building a company that empowers women in skilled trades. From partnerships with programs like Women Building Futures and Build a Dream, to designing gloves that actually fit, she’s proving that safety and inclusion go hand in hand
Whether you’re a woman apprentice, an employer, or an ally, discover how you can help strengthen the future of women in Canada’s manufacturing trades at
emccanada.org/herjourney
5. Breaking Barriers
Natasha Henderson’s path through manufacturing and operations leadership is built on teamwork, resilience, and breaking through fear. From playing Division 1 softball to managing production teams in the aerospace and aquaculture sectors, she’s learned that confidence and connection go hand in hand. Now an operations leader at Industrial Plankton in Victoria, BC, Natasha supports sustainable aquaculture while leading teams that feed over a billion marine organisms each year.
In this episode, she reflects on what it takes to lead in male-dominated industries, the importance of psychological safety, and how mentorship helps more women in manufacturing step into leadership. Her story is a masterclass in courage, adaptability, and leading with heart in fast-paced technical environments.
4. Precision, Persistence, and Possibility
Courtney Rupp’s career in manufacturing and quality assurance spans welding, fabrication, and leadership. Now the Quality Assurance Lead at Tooketree in Baysville, Ontario, she helped implement CSA certification and wrote the company’s quality manual. Her story reflects a life built on adaptability, skill, and persistence.
In this episode, Courtney shares how she transitioned from pharmacy technician to certified welder, built the world’s largest pile driver, and found her stride in quality systems and manufacturing leadership. She also opens up about balancing multiple jobs, running her own welding business, and mentoring other women in trades who are just starting out.
3. Shifting the Blueprint
Carrie O’Donnell’s story is proof that it’s never too late to start over. After decades in automotive manufacturing, she entered the skilled trades at 45 and became a Red Seal plumber by 49. Today, she works at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant, one of the few women among 500 tradespeople keeping Canada’s auto industry running.
In this episode, Carrie reflects on changing the perception of manufacturing and plumbing careers, building confidence in male-dominated spaces, and mentoring women entering the trades. Her story is grounded in courage, perseverance, and a belief that visibility is the first step toward inclusion.
2. Empowering Woman in STEM
Anna Rosina is part of a new generation redefining what it means to work in skilled trades and manufacturing. As a machinist in training at Conestoga College and FBT Machine Shop in St. Catharines, she’s already mastering the precision work of 5-axis CNC machining — cutting components to tolerances finer than a human hair. Her journey began with high school robotics, where early exposure to hands-on problem-solving sparked a lifelong love for engineering and technical design.
In this episode, Anna opens up about finding confidence as one of only a few women in her program, the power of mentorship, and her goal to one day teach the next generation of women in trades. From the classroom to the shop floor, her story highlights the growing presence of women in machining, the importance of precision and patience, and how early education and outreach can shape the future of Canada’s manufacturing industry.
1. Crafting a New Path
Jackie Toner’s leap from academia to woodturning and entrepreneurship began as a creative escape and became a full-time career. As the founder of Woods Woman Woodworking, she designs and crafts handmade kitchenware and art pieces while mentoring young women entering the trades.
In this episode, Jackie talks about turning uncertainty into opportunity, building a business from scratch, and leading a shop that values creativity and inclusion as much as craftsmanship. Her story highlights the rise of women in small-scale manufacturing, mental wellness in trades, and how passion can evolve into purpose.