MOOSE JAW — Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Moose Jaw will soon join all four of its campus locations to host a summer camp that empowers girls to pick up the tools of the trade and see themselves in careers where women remain underrepresented.
Running July 14 to 18, the Girls Exploring Trades and Technology (GETT) Summer Camp invites girls in Grades 6 to 8 to explore careers in skilled trades and engineering technology through a fun, project-based learning experience. The week-long day camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and costs $210 per participant.
“The Girls Exploring Trades and Technology camps … are a week-long exploration camp for girls aged 12 to 15 …,” said Allison Zerr, program head of Sask Polytech’s Women in Trades and Technology (WITT) program. “We’ve partnered with a few organizations in Moose Jaw to bring exposure both to industries where women are underrepresented … but also to give these young ladies a hands-on approach to learning and to really just help them envision themselves in some of these underrepresented careers.”
Participants will explore several skilled trade areas throughout the week, with a particular focus this year on civil, water, and environmental engineering. Campers will spend time with female mentors in Sask Polytech’s civil engineering and welding departments, visit the EPCOR water treatment facility in Regina, tour the CAE defence base at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, and participate in interactive activities hosted by SaskPower, the camp’s title sponsor.
“One of the super fun highlights is some of the girls will get to gear up and try to climb a power pole,” Zerr said. “And then we’re going to wrap up our week creating another outdoor project in plumbing. … We’re showcasing a number of different trades to really help broaden their horizons and let them know how these different trades and technology programs work together.”
In addition to field trips, each student will complete their own project to take home.
“In Moose Jaw, we’ve focused on welding and plumbing projects,” Zerr explained. “In welding, each of the girls will weld metal dice for outdoor dice games … (and) will take home a set of dice for themselves. And then, with plumbing, we’re going to be building one of those ladder ball games.”
GETT camps aim to build confidence and demystify certain career paths by giving participants a chance to learn by doing. With many female instructors and mentors leading the activities so these girls can easily envision themselves in the same role, the goal is to foster an environment where they feel safe, supported, and encouraged to try something new.
The specific age range for the camp was chosen to catch girls at a time when they’re becoming more mature and starting to think about their future career paths.
“This is a fantastic age … it’s trying to catch them before high school, when they’re going to start having more electives and choosing the different course paths for their future,” Zerr said.
Registration for the GETT camp in Moose Jaw is open until Wednesday, July 9, and students can apply online at Eventbrite.ca through a link on SaskPolytech.ca. Any questions can be directed to [email protected].
The Sask Polytech campus in Moose Jaw is located at 600 Saskatchewan Street West.
