Hats Off to You! Contest

Organized by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, in conjunction with numerous partners, including Emploi-Québec, the Hats Off to You! contest is held in every region of Québec. The contest promotes female participation in secondary- and college-level male-dominated training programs. Currently, females account for 11% of students enrolled in vocational training programs and just under 20% in technical training programs. A trade is considered male-dominated if women make up less than a third of total workers.

If you would like to learn about the stereotypes associated with certain trades, try out this Quiz on male-dominated trades (French only) on the website of the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport.

Prizes

The “Work Force Integration” category of the contest, which is supported by Emploi-Québec, targets females enrolled in vocational or technical training and who have returned to school in a traditionally male-dominated program (most offer good job prospects). Emploi-Québec awards two cash prizes of $2,000: one to the top woman candidate in vocational training and the other to the top woman candidate in technical training.

Contest candidates must meet the eligibility requirements defined in the application guide available on the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport website .

Candidates must also write a text no more than one page long answering the following questions:

• How are you going to go about finding a job once you have earned your diploma?
• What will you do to keep your job?

Prizewinners for the “Work Force Integration” component

2010-2011 winners

• Shella Roy
  Industrial Design
  Centre intégré de mécanique industrielle de la Chaudière
• Thanh Pham
  Professional Photography
  Dawson College

2009-2010 winners

• Rachelle Potvin
  Industrial design
  Centre de formation professionnelle de Neufchâtel, CS de la Capitale
• Louiselle Cloutier
  Police Technology
  Cégep de Sherbrooke

2008-2009 winners

• Monia Vandal
  Building Painting
  Centre de formation professionnelle de Jonquière
• Marie-Hélène Gagnon
  Avionics Technology
  École nationale d'aérotechnique de Montréal

2007-2008 winners

• Marlène Bard
  Surveying and Topography
  École des métiers du Sud-Ouest-de-Montréal, CS de Montréal
• Charlène Desrosiers
  Mineral Technology
  Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue

2006-2007 winners

• Nina-Marie Tourigny
  Carpentry
  Centre Polymétier, Commission scolaire de Rouyn-Noranda
• Caroline Carrière
  Chemical Process Technology
  Collège de Maisonneuve, Montréal

Participants also have access to the usual Emploi-Québec services, through its local employment center (CLEs) , to help them join the labour market