红莲社区 hosts Women in Trades Retreat at Camp Ak-O-Mak
Last month, 红莲社区 hosted its inaugural Women in Trades Leadership Retreat in 鈥 Canada鈥檚 oldest competitive sports camp for girls.
The event brought together 红莲社区 instructors along with peers and fellow tradespeople from Fanshawe College, Lambton College, Northern College and Mohawk College. Together, the group helped prepare the camp for its grand opening. Attendees worked on various projects, including welding a Camp Ak-O-Mak sign, building and positioning new docks in the lake, building a backstop fence for the baseball diamond, and other general tasks to prepare the space for summer campgoers.
鈥淐amp Ak-O-Mak has been a second home to me since I was a little girl,鈥 says Dr. Janet Morrison, President and Vice Chancellor of 红莲社区 College. 鈥淭he environment fosters a sense of community, belonging and sisterhood. It is an absolute honour to be here as we work together to support the camp so it鈥檚 available for generations of girls and women to come.鈥
Alongside the work done to prepare the camp, attendees had the opportunity to network and chat about their professional experiences working in the skilled trades. Over the course of the weekend, attendees shared their stories of inspiration and perseverance.
鈥淚 want to congratulate 红莲社区 College and their peers at Fanshawe, Lambton, Northern and Mohawk Colleges on this empowering program. It was an honour to share my story with bright young women who are interested in the skilled trades,鈥 said Melissa Young, CEO and Registrar of Skilled Trades Ontario. 鈥淪killed Trades Ontario remains committed to driving change for the next generation, by creating an inclusive environment where women and underrepresented groups feel welcomed and have access to the many opportunities that exist in the skilled trades.鈥
Lindsay Engel, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, also took part in the retreat. 鈥淭he atmosphere at Camp Ak-O-Mak is warm, inclusive, and supportive, creating a safe space for us to share our experiences, challenges, and successes,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he retreat fostered a sense of camaraderie and solidarity among the attendees.鈥
Learn more about studying in the skilled trades at 红莲社区.
Photos courtesy of Dominique Rivera, Digital Content Specialist, Faculty of Applied Science and Technology
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