MEET OUR BOARD - George Maclean, Director

MEET OUR BOARD – GEORGE MACLEAN, DIRECTOR

Instructor (Retired), Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)

“I spent thirty-five years of my life in adult education, mostly in the areas of trades and technology training. Canada has been experiencing a shortage of workers in these occupational areas for over twenty years now. A National Apprenticeship Survey from 2015 reported that 10% of Canada’s apprentices were female, most of whom were identified in the Hairstyling, Cooking, and Baking trades. Statistics Canada reported that from 2008 to 2018, construction trades apprentices were comprised of 3.7% female. According to the United Nations (2013), the worldwide population consists of 50.4% female and 49.6% male.

As welcome as foreign workers and immigrants are to Canada (after all, aren’t we all immigrants?), we also have a homegrown solution to this dilemma with our existing population of females. I have seen progress in this area during my career but we still have a long way to go. Techsploration, through its engagement of females in schools, its sponsors, funders, and partners is ideally suited to respond to this need. I am pleased to be involved with this forward-thinking, solution-focused organization and look forward to its continuing success.”