Sub-series SS5 - Construction Technology for Women

This file contains records regarding the program "Construction Technology for Women".
WITT National Network / SaskWITT/SIAST WITT Program
Partners and Supporters: Local School Boards and Schools; numerous Crown Corporations; Local Employers; Local Building Suppliers.

In the mid-nineties Overend sat on a National Steering Committee for WITT NN to develop and guide an ambitious, pan Canadian program called Construction Technology for Women. This was a three-year pilot project designed to encourage young women to enter into careers in construction. 125 young women participated in credit courses at six high schools (5 provinces) across Canada. The program included paid summer internships.
One of the pilot sites was in Balgonie SK, beginning in 1997. Overend was chair of local organizing committee and helped to hire and manage staff who ran the project on-site. Over the next several years, she worked with schools, school boards and Crown Corporations to establish other sites with solid partnerships. In addition to Greenall school delivery, the courses ran several times at Scott Collegiate and Miller Collegiate in Regina as well as Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw up until 2005.
In 1997, the program at Greenall School won an award for Promotion of Equity Participation at the annual Training for Excellence Awards Event sponsored by the Saskatchewan Labour Force Development Board (SLFDB).