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GETNB is a Saint John non-profit opening the skilled trades to women and girls across New Brunswick through hands-on training, mentorship, and direct connections to employers.

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Building futures for women in the trades.

The basics

Why GETNB exists

Inspired by Techsploration's success in Nova Scotia, we give women and girls exposure to the trades, encouragement from women already working in them, and a clear path into good jobs.

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A promise to the women coming next.

Prince Edward Square, Saint John, NB

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Ready to build your future?

About

New Brunswick needs tradespeople. An aging workforce and a growing labour shortage mean thousands of jobs will go unfilled in the coming years, yet women remain a small fraction of the people doing the work. Even among women in construction, most hold administrative and support roles rather than working on-site.

Opening doors in trades, one woman at a time.

Participants learn by doing, with real tools and real materials.

Hands-on first

Tradeswomen lead workplace visits, demonstrations, and mentorship so participants can see themselves in the work.

Women teaching women

We aren't here to push anyone into a trade. We're here to make sure every woman and girl knows it's an option.

Choice, not pressure

Cynthia Losier's connection to the trades started at home. Her mother, Brenda Losier, was one of the first women to work in the trades in New Brunswick, building her career at the Saint John Shipyard and later travelling the country with the WITT National Network to advocate for women in the industry.

Our story

Services

From high school classrooms to job sites, GETNB offers a path for every stage: exploring, training, mentoring, and hiring.

Programs that turn interest into careers.

A 12-week, full-time finishing trades program in Saint John for women ready to start a new career, with no prior experience required. Participants learn painting, surface preparation, drywall crack filling, and flooring installation, along with workplace safety certifications and career readiness skills like résumé writing and interview prep. Training happens in a dedicated classroom and workshop, where participants build a full-scale mobile training wall from framing through to finishing. Safety equipment and mentorship from working tradeswomen are included, and the first cohort's training is paid thanks to Workplace Connections NB. The program ends with a 60-hour, two-week work placement with a local contractor.

Women Building the Future

Running October to December, our school program pairs teams of high school girls with women working in the skilled trades. Each team visits their role model's workplace for a half-day, builds a presentation about her career to share at school, and then competes at a 1.5-day regional GETNB event full of hands-on activities. We work directly with principals and guidance counsellors to bring the program into schools across the province.

School Program (Grades 9–12)

If you work in the trades, your story could be the one that changes someone's mind. School Role Models partner with a student team for the season, hosting a workplace visit, attending their presentation, and joining the regional event. Guest Role Models run hands-on stations at one or more events, where participants rotate between trades and employers to try the work and ask questions. Each event takes about four hours, and we welcome women from every trade, from carpentry and electrical to welding, HVAC, and heavy equipment.

Role Models & Mentors

Host a program graduate for a two-week, 60-hour work placement and gain a motivated, safety-trained team member while giving her the job-site experience that launches her career. Employers can also get involved by sharing their expertise in the classroom, donating materials, or completing our Employer Needs Survey, which helps us train graduates for the roles your crews need most.

For Employers

Program or cohort naming rights, keynote opportunities, featured video story, priority recruitment access.

Legacy Partner, $50,000

Module or event naming rights, speaking opportunity, sponsor spotlight, VIP networking.

Visionary, $10,000

Logo on primary materials, event recognition, access to training and demo sessions.

Builder, $5,000

Logo on select materials, newsletter listing, event invitations.

Contributor, $2,500

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Contact

Questions about a program, a partnership, or getting involved? Reach out and our team will point you in the right direction.

Start the conversation.

I'm available for select projects and collaborations.

Let's Work Together

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