Shylah not only represents the
carpentry and scaffolding trades, but was also an Ironworker working across
Canada from British Columbia to Nunavut. In
2016, she achieved the status of Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter and was the
recipient of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology’s Outstanding
Journeyperson Award.
It wasn’t until her time working
with the Office to Advance Women Apprentices (OAWA) in 2020 that she saw the
obstacles for not only women, but Indigenous Peoples, that prevented them from
entering into the trades. She saw a solution to those obstacles and in 2021,
she left OAWA and created Osihcikewin “To
Build”, an Indigenous owned and operated company that offers exploratory
trades programs for men and women in Indigenous communities and as well, Summer
Trades Camps for Indigenous youth. In addition to offering exploratory trades
programs and summer trades camps, Osihcikewin
also works with Indigenous communities in meeting the demands of their housing
portfolio.
Shylah is also a Trades and Apprenticeship
Consultant working with Indigenous Communities across Saskatchewan.