New Boots releases 2nd edition of ‘Tradeswomen of New Brunswick’ colouring book

New Brunswick has found a colourful way to encourage more young girls to enter the trades.

A provincial MAP Strategic Workforce Services program called New Boots has launched its second edition of the Tradeswomen of New Brunswick colouring book to encourage young girls to think of the skilled trades as a viable career option.

“This is the first in Canada that is real people in a colouring book that has a name and a trade attached to it,” said Helene Savoie-Louis, MAP’s executive director.

The book features cartoons of real tradeswomen working in their fields and is opening up a whole new world of possibilities for young girls.

“You can’t be what you can’t see. So if you can’t see a tradeswoman, how can a young girl dream about doing that career?” said Savoie-Louis.

Dieppe electrician Tina Young owns Twisted Electric and was featured in the first edition of the colouring book, which sold out.

“I think the colouring book is a fantastic idea because it is moulding them while they are still young and showing them, ‘Wow, women do that too,'” said Young.

The electrician of 13 years could not be more proud to be a mentor for the growing number of girls entering the trades right across the country.

“Women can be a pipe fitter, they can be a plumber or an electrician, women can do it too and I think planting that seed early on is the best way to do that,” she said.

Savoie-Louis said the book sells for $5 and proceeds are used to promote women in the trades.

And it’s not just kids grabbing those coloured pencils.

“Very popular with tradeswomen themselves. They wanted to be part of the book, they wanted to be coloured,” she said.

The number of women entering the trades has nearly doubled in the last 10 years in the province, according to Savoie-Louis.

But Savoie-Louis said women still only account for five per cent of the trades workers in New Brunswick.

Electrician apprentice Holly Dore believes the colouring book can light a spark for young girls.

“It is such a great idea. Kids love colouring and seeing so many options that they can have,” she said.

by Global News