The Ontario Council of Painters (OCP) of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) was chartered in March of 1971 and has spent the four decades since its inception in a committed effort of assisting women in construction throughout Ontario. IUPAT strives to provide every woman with the opportunities they require to excel in the workplace, offering guidance in education, job placement and the networking support necessary for helping individuals succeed despite an often uneven hiring market.
With 14 Local Unions working to comprise the Ontario Council, women throughout the province have better odds than ever before for finding construction employment with IUPAT Ontario. Women in unions enjoy greater representation and access to the jobs they desire and IUPAT has always served as a helpful organization in this regard. Women possess exceptional motor skills, take pride in high-quality work and are highly motivated and responsible. IUPAT Ontario believes in making sure that women in trades are able to be equally represented in the workplace and uses its union to achieve this effect.
The Ontario Industrial and Finishing Skills Centre (OIFSC) and Interior Finishing Systems Training Centre (IFSTC) have helped IUPAT in creating success stories, providing women with the skills they need for gainful employment in construction and related fields. Sponsored by the Ontario Provincial Government, OIFSC & IFSTC maintain facilities throughout several Ontario cities, offering sites in Toronto, Ancaster (Hamilton) and fully bilingual service in Ottawa. OIFSC & IFSTC provide superb training and learning opportunities for all attendees and have been invaluable resources for IUPAT. The institutions are devoted to the education and training of painters, decorators and architectural glass and metal technicians and women have always been an essential part of OIFSC’s & IFSTC student and alumni body. Many female OIFSC & IFSTC graduates have gone on to find work as glazers and commercial painters in Ontario having come highly recommended and heavily trained to employers. OIFSC & IFSTC’s pre-apprenticeship program requires students to spend at least 36 weeks in training before entering their field and its Women in Skilled Trades course helps to prepare apprentices through hands-on, practical experience, assisting in major projects such as the recent Hunting Lodge, Casa Loma renovation. The Women in Skilled Trades program prepares women well for jobs in construction, letting employers hire from graduates with six months of direct experience and a thorough basis of exceptional training.
IUPAT assists women in Ontario with finding employment in the construction field, working to fight for their proper access to the trade. Women are faced with considerable challenges when seeking employment in construction and, in order to provide a leg up, IUPAT and OIFSC & IFSTC utilizes networking between job seekers and women already established in the trade. The union allows for unparalleled communications between employers and skilled workers, a fact that makes membership at IUPAT Ontario a valuable tool for excelling in the construction industry. IUPAT has been able to generate a considerable degree of success since its inception and is dedicated to continuing its work, finding employment for women in construction throughout Ontario and fighting for true equality in the job market.
For more information on IUPAT Ontario and more, visit www.IUPAT.ca.
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