September 08, 2025
TradeUpBC is proud to announce its sponsorship of an upcoming event featuring women in the trades. The Tradeswomen Gallery Exhibit is the brainchild of certified electrician, entrepreneur, social media influencer, activist, and philanthropist Carly Steiman – also known as Lady Electric.
In British Columbia, skilled trades are overwhelmingly male-dominated, with women making up just a small fraction of the workforce in areas like construction, electrical, and mechanical trades. The imbalance is influenced by persistent stereotypes, cultural factors, so-called traditional gender roles, and workplace environments that can be unwelcoming to women.
"I believe women can make a positive contribution to the trades and help to fill the current and future shortage of trades professionals," says Steiman. "So, I decided to create a program that would celebrate strong, competent tradeswomen in a visual and visceral way to draw attention and encourage more women to consider a trades career."
The event, which features a series of dramatic black and white close-up photos of tradeswomen’s hands engaging with tools of their chosen trade, runs from October 17 to November 1 at Gallery 811, Vancouver's only lens-based art hub promoting the photographic arts.
The compelling images are also featured in a beautifully rendered 2026 Tradeswomen Calendar now available for sale to the general public, and business owners can order customized calendars with the addition of their logo and a personalized message to show their support for women in the trades. Calendar orders will be fulfilled beginning mid-October and 10 per cent of proceeds from these sales will be split in half and donated to the BC Firefighter's Burn Camp and Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to the above, there are a number of other related events occurring at the gallery space from October 23 to October 30, including:
There's also good news for individuals or organizations interested in supporting this important cause – sponsorship opportunities are still available.
In the meantime, subscribe to the TradeUpBC YouTube channel and watch for an upcoming video interview with Carly about the Gallery Exhibit, and keep an eye out for a Success Story detailing her fascinating career journey that will publish on TradeUpBC.ca in the near future.