--- title: "Busting Skilled Trades Myths: \"Skilled Trades are for Men\"" description: Don't believe the myth; skilled trades are not just for men. Find out why more women are entering the skilled trades industry with our blog! image: https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hub/388155/file-1288453908.jpg --- [![NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND](https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND.png?width=150&height=150&name=NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND.png) ](http://getatrade.com) # Skilled Trades Blog # Busting Skilled Trades Myths: "Skilled Trades are for Men" Posted by [Brad Dixon](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/author/brad-dixon) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ESTIMATED READING TIME: 3 MINUTES ![womenskilledtrades](https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hub/388155/file-1288453908.jpg) The skilled trades industry is an important part of our society and economy — trades people touch almost every aspect of our daily lives. They build our homes and our cars. They work in manufacturing, mining, oil and gas. Canada is depends on the skilled trades, they keep our country going. That said, the skilled trades have gotten a bad reputation, and we aren't sure why. With myths like these spreading, it's no wonder Canada is suffering from a severe skilled trades shortage. And so, over the next few weeks, we are going to be exposing myths about the skilled trades and revealing the truth.    ## Myth 3: Skilled trades jobs are for men Traditionally, the skilled trades have been an industry dominated by men. Typically, less than 3% of all skilled trades workers are women, but that doesn't mean they don't belong. In fact, with the growing need for trades people, [women are getting trained and certified](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/women-in-the-trades-gas-technician-training) and working alongside men in what have, in the past, been male-dominated fields.   ## The reality  Skilled trades jobs are a great route for women who are looking for a hands-on career. With so many opportunities available and shortages in the industry, it is time to start thinking differently about who is best "man" for the job. And the solution is simple: anyone with the proper training and licensing and can get the job done, be it a man or woman.   #### Great opportunities with great pay Currently, women are very underrepresented in trades like gas technicians. But while the gender mix in skilled trades continues to be unbalanced, the opportunities for employment are growing. With the demand for skilled trades workers expected to hit one million by 2020, the chance for gainful employment for women in a rewarding career is prominent. With this opportunity to increase women's employment in the skilled trades comes the opportunity to increase women's wages in the workforce as well. Of course, it has become completely normal over the past few decades for women to be in the workforce, they often still face low-income conditions. But getting women into skilled trades positions can be part of the solution to this problem.   At The Skilled Trades Academy, we have seen the success of many women in the skilled trades industry as gas technicians. Read their stories [here](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/gas-technician-graduate-profile-stephanie-freeze) and [here](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/gas-technician-graduate-profile-alicia-bowlby)!   [![Contact to Change Your Life Today](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/388155/a7c702b5-a5c3-40cd-8ab3-3e1563e22407.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/388155/a7c702b5-a5c3-40cd-8ab3-3e1563e22407)   Topics: [Women in the trades](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/women-in-the-trades) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Gas Technician (59)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/gas-technician) - [Career Opportunities (48)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/career-opportunities) - [Skilled Trades (29)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades) - [Gas Technician Careers (27)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/gas-technician-careers) - [Ontario Gas Technician Training (23)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-gas-technician-training) - [Trade School (19)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/trade-school) - [Course Length and Time (18)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/course-length-and-time) - [HVAC Careers (16)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/hvac-careers) - [Hands On Learning (16)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/hands-on-learning) - [Ontario Gas Technician (14)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-gas-technician) - [Transferrable Skills (14)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/transferrable-skills) - [Class Length (12)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/class-length) - [Women in the trades (12)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/women-in-the-trades) - [Graduate Profile (11)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/graduate-profile) - [Funding (10)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/funding) - [Skilled Trades Myths (9)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-myths) - [Air Conditioning (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/air-conditioning) - [Night School (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/night-school) - [Ontario College of Trades (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-college-of-trades) - [Adult Education (7)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/adult-education) - [Air Conditioning technician (6)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/air-conditioning-technician) - [Training Schedule (6)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/training-schedule) - [Ontario HVAC Training (4)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-hvac-training) - [Halton Campus (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/halton-campus) - [Skilled Trades Career Fair (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-career-fair) - [Skilled Trades Shortage (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-shortage) - [Small Class Size (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/small-class-size) - [TSSA (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/tssa) - [Oakville Campus (2)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/oakville-campus) - [Ozone Depletion Prevention (2)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ozone-depletion-prevention) - [National Skilled Trades and Technology Week (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/national-skilled-trades-and-technology-week) - [National Tradesmen Day (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/national-tradesmen-day) - [ODP (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/odp) - [Onto (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/onto) - [Summer Courses (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/summer-courses) see all ### Follow Me - Course Information - [Course Calendar](http://getatrade.com/course-calendar/) - [Course Information](http://getatrade.com/course-information/) - [Ozone Depletion Prevention](http://getatrade.com/ozone-depletion-prevention/) - [Gas Technician](http://getatrade.com/gas-technician/) - About Our School - [About Us](http://getatrade.com/about/) - [Blog](http://getatrade.com/blog/) - [Resources](http://getatrade.com/resources/) ©2015 Skilled Trades Academy· Built with love by [Hughes & Co.](http://www.hughesandco.ca) Niagara and Halton Skilled Trades Academies are Technical Standards and Safety Authority training providers and are registered as a Career College under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.