Guest Speaker Guide

Thank you for coming to speak to the trainees in our Trades Training Program! By sharing your knowledge and experience, you are empowering women to find their own successful career path in the trades. Please prepare for your presentation with these guidelines in mind:
 

• Start by setting a positive tone. Our trainees are all incredible people and you will love them. Introductions (both you AND them!) are a great way to break the ice.

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• Speak from your heart and experience. We hear over and over again from the
  trainees that it is so empowering to see others carving out successful careers for
  themselves in the trades. Your story is powerful!

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• Be mindful of pronoun use. Our program is open to women and non-binary people.
  During introductions, each person will share their pronouns. We create an inclusive
  space by using the pronouns identified by each individual.​

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• Share about your struggles AND how you overcame them. Starting a new career in a
  male-dominated industry can be intimidating. We want to hear honestly about any
  difficulties you have encountered, but we want to hear even more about how you
  overcame those obstacles. Show the trainees how they can overcome these kinds of
  barriers too.

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• The more interactive the better! Not all topics are hands-on, but engaging in
  discussion as much as possible with ensure a really participatory experience.

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• Tread lightly on sensitive topics. Some of the trainees in our program have
  experienced trauma in various forms and discussing traumatic experiences can be
  triggering, especially when unexpected. Please refrain from graphic discussions of
  sensitive topics such as sexual assault, domestic violence, or other forms of abuse.

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• We have no tolerance for discriminatory or derogatory comments about people or
  individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. Even when it’s
  accidental, it can be tremendously harmful.

 

If you have any questions about the content you intend to share or topics you’d like to discuss, please reach out! We are happy to consult prior to your visit.

 

We are incredibly grateful for your generosity in sharing your time and experience with us. With your support, we are training up-and-coming tradeswomen for a bright future!