The team behind the well-established apprenticeship program at Rainy River had reason to celebrate recently with the certification of the first female Red Seal welder at the mine, Kaitlyn Baldwin. Completing an apprenticeship has been a goal of Katilyn’s since taking manufacturing classes in high school, and she is the first female employee to have gone through the apprenticeship program offered by the mine.
Apprenticeship program candidates are interviewed and undergo provincially-regulated testing to evaluate their skills, with final scoring influencing the decision along with reviews from supervisors. Unlike many other apprenticeship programs, New Gold pays employees’ wages and provides a live-away allowance during their schooling time, which amounts to around 3 months a year for an average of over 4 years. This proved to be a huge benefit to a working parent like Kaitlyn, giving her the peace of mind to focus on her studies.
Kaitlyn Baldwin
“I enjoyed the feeling of working toward my goal and felt set up for success during my schooling and when preparing to write my exam,” said Kaitlyn. “Not having to take care of everything on my own was a big bonus.”
Kaitlyn says that she’d like to see more women go through the program, recommending it to others who may have interest in working in the industry.
“I really enjoyed learning from a range of different journeypersons – they all had different tips and tricks,” Kaitlyn said, adding that her peers all shared in her excitement when she passed.
As Kaitlyn embarks on her role as a certified welder at Rainy River, New Gold looks forward to welcoming new apprentices in the coming months and years.
“Now that I have my Red Seal certification, I can work anywhere,” said Kaitlyn. “I’m happy to be working at New Gold, knowing that I can rely on this designation later throughout my career.”
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