There has never been a better time for women to pursue a career in the skilled trades. With over 70 skilled trade occupations in Nova Scotia to choose from and a high demand for trades professionals, there are many excellent employment opportunities available.
Jessica Arsenault is a Level 3 carpenter apprentice in Liverpool, N.S., who is working towards Red Seal certification. Her career hasn’t necessarily followed a linear path. Initially, Arsenault went to university and completed an English degree, but she felt like she was “spinning her tires” and couldn’t envision herself in that sort of setting for the rest of her life. She was struggling to find the right path until she had a pivotal moment while building a deck with her dad.
“I just knew then that that’s exactly what I wanted to do every day,” says Arsenault. “It was a big leap for me, to leave the world that I was in and to enter into this world.”