Last month, Fix Network - Canada co-hosted a Young Women in Trades and Technology event at its Calgary Training Centre, introducing high school students to automotive refinishing.
The program, now in its third year, was developed with Careers: The Next Generation, an Alberta-based non-profit that connects students with internships and apprenticeship pathways. Jeff Francis, technical trainer at Fix Network -Canada’s Calgary Training Centre, told Collision Repair the initiative grew out of that relationship.
“We initially reached out to Careers: The Next Generation to see how we might work together, and it quickly felt like a natural fit,” he said. “They do a great job at the provincial level connecting students with employers and supporting them as they move toward apprenticeship. From there, it made sense to offer our Calgary Training Centre as a place to host a few try-a-trade events, with the Young Women in Trades and Technology initiative being one of them.”
The session focused on automotive painting. Students applied basecoat, completed a small airbrush stencil component and finished with clearcoat. “We put together a program that introduced the young ladies into a ‘day in the life’ of a painter,” Francis said.
Students in grades 10 through 12 were recruited through local high schools, with enrollment handled by Careers: The Next Generation.
The training focused on safety and basic shop skills. Students wore standard personal protective equipment and were introduced to paint gun technique and refinishing tools.
“We’ve continued to improve the program each year to better reflect what it’s really like to be a painter in a collision repair environment,” Francis said. “Safety is always the top priority, and the students quickly adapt to the same PPE a professional painter would wear. They learn proper paint gun technique and get hands-on experience with the equipment, which helps build confidence and shows them they can be successful, and take pride in their work.”
The program has been adjusted over time based on feedback. This year, female Red Seal technicians took part in the session, helping guide students through the work and sharing their experience in the trade.
Francis said interest in the program was strong, with enough applicants to nearly support a second session.
“This enthusiastic interest is incredibly encouraging, and we’re exploring ways we could potentially expand the program, both thoughtfully and sustainably,” Francis said.
