I want to start by saying what an incredible experience the 3rd annual #SWiT2022 conference was. With such a great turnout of women and allies from all across Canada, almost doubled from the 2nd annual conference.
From the opening remarks right up to the closing I was just in awe of these incredible women. The passion, persistence and perseverance of every single woman in attendance, both attendees and speakers alike.
As a country music fan I was elated that Mallory Johnson would be performing her single "Wise Woman" to open the conference followed by, no joke, the BEST keynote speaker I have ever encountered, Candace Carnahan. Candace is a Safety Advocate and being that I'm also a Safety Advisor her words truly resonated with me. She's a firecracker to say the least and had my complete attention the entire time she spoke. I'll be taking a few things I've learned in her online safety workshops and be implementing them into everyday activities on my jobsite.
The workshops and seminars all ran smoothly and had a ton of information that could be taken and put into practice. I very much appreciated the ability to pick and choose which seminars best suited you. We heard from a lot of women that are breaking barriers and living their best life while doing it.
The Rally in the Ally I would have to say was one of the highlights of the trip. All 300 women were split into 3 separate groups and assigned a musical instrument that they were to follow. Bagpipes, a snare drum, or a bass drum. When you heard your instrument play outside the bar, that meant you had 30 seconds to finish your drink and move on to the next activity. At bar #1 Birdie Malloy's we were treated to some of the best fish and chips you've ever had. From there it was time to get screeched in at the oldest bar on George St by Skipper Dickie. Bar #3 was learning old Irish Sea Shanties, this is when the dancing starts :) The screech was kicking in. At bar #4 we learned to do an Irish jig and from there we all seemed to end up at O'Reilly's pub dancing to the band. This was such an incredible night. There were smiles all around.
I do have to say I was a bit nervous going into this conference knowing no one but I ended up leaving with several really close friends that all basically live within an hours driving distance. From Millwrights to carpenters and everything in between. The absolute best part of this entire conference was the networking and camaraderie built over those 3 days. These women are here to build each other up, lend a helping hand or ear when needed and they are all doing incredible things for the trades as a whole. These women should be celebrated for making such an impact because I know moving forward, they all had an impact on me.