Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association Launch Women In Trades Programs

The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) has launched two Women in Trades programs with a networking event at the Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region Lakefield ReStore on Wednesday afternoon.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

Roughly 30 women in skilled trades and construction attended as PKHBA marked the occasion by announcing new programs designed to promote and support women in skilled trades and construction.

PKHBA had launched was the Ambassador Program in partnership with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPR), Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNC) and Fleming College. Its goal is to encourage more women to pursue careers in skilled trades.

The event had representatives from these school partners speak about the programs available for women in skilled trades:

• Johanne Denley (PVNC) highlighted the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), the Young Women’s Conference hosted by Skills Ontario in Toronto, and partnerships such as Junior Achievement for FemSTEAM programs.

• Danielle Moher (KPR) discussed the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs, teacher and guidance training to support students interested in trades, the new Grade 9 Tech curriculum, and opportunities for high school students to gain hands-on experience at job sites.

• Mary MacLeod (Fleming College) spoke about the Building Bridges, dual credit programs and the college’s partnerships with local schools. She noted that over 1,400 high school students had the opportunity to work with tools—some for the first time—sparking an interest in hands-on careers.

The Mentorship Program was also launched as it provides women in construction with guidance and support from experienced industry leaders within the PKHBA membership. It covers four key topics: entrepreneurship, workplace culture, systems and processes and sales and marketing.

“The power of women supporting each other is unmatched,” said Andria Cowan, ACM Designs owner and PKHBA Women in Trades Committee Chair. “By coming together, we can create positive change, open new doors, and inspire future generations of women to explore rewarding careers in the skilled trades.”

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Local Students Install Rain Garden and Shrubbery at New Beavermead Campground Gatehouse

Otonabee Conservation and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board students from the Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) program installed a rain garden at Beavermead Campground on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

The garden was designed to capture runoff from the roof of the gatehouse, temporarily storing it in the garden during a storm event and slowly draining it away to reduce flooding, filter pollutants and channel runoff into the ground.

“This project will create a welcoming entrance to Beavermead Campground and highlight best practices for habitat enhancement and water conservation,” said Janette Loveys Smith, Otonabee Conservation CAO and secretary-treasurer.

Over 100 native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers planted are to enhance habitat and increase biodiversity in the City of Peterborough according to a press release.

Purple coneflower, big bluestem, red osier dogwood and black-eyed Susan were chosen for this site to provide a habitat for pollinators. These plants are drought-tolerant and will require minimal maintenance and watering.

YLS students breaking ground to plant over 100 trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers. Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation.

“In the face of the climate and biodiversity crisis, it’s so important that students have opportunities for hands-on activities like this where they are engaged in constructive, restorative, solutions-based work,” said Cam Douglas, teacher and YLS program coordinator.

The community is encouraged to visit the park and campground to see the native plant species and learn about the benefits of water conservation. 

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Recap: Peterborough Family Literacy Day

Trent Valley Literacy Association, Literacy Ontario Central South and Peterborough Family Resource Centre worked together to celebrate Family Literacy Day recently at Peterborough Square.

Free books were donated by Frontier College for all ages to encourage reading and literacy.

Booths were set up from many local businesses such as Music for Moppets, Healthy Families Centre, Catholic District School Board and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

[Words and Picture by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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One (Or More) of Peterborough's High Schools May Close

Imagine your high school that you are attending, or attended, closing. Well that's now become a distinct possibility for four Peterborough schools—Adam Scott, Kenner, TASSS and PCVS—as Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board will review the possible closure of at least one of these schools due to plummeting enrollment at the schools. This is sure to be a controversial process, and the school board is welcoming input from the community at a series of community meetings starting in February.

[chextvDOTcom; Peterborough Examiner]

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