parts of the country or world,” he added.
WBF prepares women through a course
that clearly outlines what to expect from a
trades-based career and then NWR facili-
tates entry into an apprenticeship program
at the refinery. “Because they’re so well-
prepared, there isn’t a high rate of failure,”
MacGregor explained.
“If I feel good about anything, it’s prob-
ably that. These are good jobs. What we
are building is not just a commercial enter-
prise; it’s a social enterprise too and you
don’t have to sacrifice the commerciality to
do the right thing socially,” he said. “Good
jobs for Alberta women are the right thing
to do.”
PROGRAM IS
CHANGING LIVES
Among a recent graduating class of iron-
workers were 11 women who had gone
through the program. MacGregor remem-
bers speaking to one of the graduates, an
Aboriginal woman who had struggled with
a difficult past and been living in “dire cir-
cumstances” before she learned about
WBF. Today, she is an ironworker and on
a path to personal and financial success.
“Anything you can do like that, you’re just
feeling great,” he said.
MacGregor’s hope is to keep the profits
from oil refining close to home, creating
jobs and helping to pay for essentials such
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