Award-winning Master Electrician urges Canadians to break barriers and build skills, not stereotypes
KAWARTHA LAKES, ON / ACCESS Newswire / August 12, 2025 / Tania-Joy Bartlett, a Master Electrician, heavy equipment operator, and recipient of over 25 community awards, is using her platform to call for greater equality, diversity, and opportunity in Canada's skilled trades.
Bartlett, known for creating inclusive workplaces and mentoring young people, says the trades are facing both a skills shortage and a representation problem - and both need urgent attention.
"I wanted a workplace where your skill set is more important than your gender or race," Bartlett says. "When I wasn't accepted at my past employer, I created a workplace that focused on safety, quality, and equality. We need more spaces like that."
The Skills Gap and the Inclusion Gap
According to Statistics Canada, the country could face a shortage of over 256,000 skilled workers by 2028. Women currently make up only 4.7% of construction trades workers, despite comprising nearly half of Canada's overall workforce.
Bartlett says those numbers show the opportunity - and the challenge. "We don't just need more workers, we need more different workers," she explains. "That means welcoming women, newcomers, and anyone who's been told they don't belong."
A Lifetime of Experience and Advocacy
Over her career, Bartlett has earned top qualifications, operated her own contracting companies, and been recognized by her local Chamber of Commerce for promoting diversity. She has also volunteered extensively, earning her favourite award - the Volunteer Award with Junior Achievement - for mentoring students and speaking in schools about careers in the trades.
"Education and self-determination - that's what I want students to see," she says. "No one's harder on me than I am on myself, but I want them to know they can set their own standards too."
Why Inclusion Matters in the Trades
Industry studies show that inclusive workplaces have 39% higher employee satisfaction and 22% higher productivity. Bartlett believes the connection is clear.
"If you feel safe, respected, and valued, you do better work. That's true on a job site, and it's true in any workplace," she says.
She emphasizes that inclusion is not about lowering standards - in fact, it raises them. "We need to continue education and training on new skills and products," Bartlett adds. "That's how you stay ahead."
A Call to Action for Canadians
Bartlett is encouraging Canadians to take their own steps toward a more diverse and skilled trades sector:
Challenge stereotypes - Speak up when you hear limiting assumptions about who belongs in the trades.
Support training programs - Donate to or volunteer with organizations that provide trades education to underrepresented groups.
Share your skills - Mentor someone entering your industry.
Stay curious - Keep learning new tools, products, and safety practices.
"You need both - personal fulfillment and professional skill - to be successful," Bartlett says. "The trades can give you both, but we need to make sure the door is open for everyone."
To read the full interview, visit the website here.
About Tania-Joy Bartlett
Tania-Joy Bartlett is a Master Electrician, heavy equipment operator, and diversity advocate based in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. She has received over 25 local awards for her work in the trades, workplace inclusivity, and community service. Bartlett is passionate about education, skill development, and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups in the trades.
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SOURCE: Tania-Joy Bartlett
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