My husband Dan is a 37 year old, male, journeyman plumber. When he got his 'ticket' he was not left with a thirty thousand dollar hole in his pocket. He worked as an apprentice for ten months for half a jouneyman's wage, was laid off, and able to apply for employment insurance in order to go to class for two months. Seven years ago the instructional part of the program cost less than five hundred dollars and was subsidized by the government.
I am in my fourth year of my bachelors of Social Work at the university of Regina. I will have paid just under thirty thousand dollars for my degree when I graduate in June 2017. All students are required to participate in two practicums totalling seven hundred and twenty hours, unpaid, and pay just under five thousand dollars for the pleasure. For the sake of argument let's pay the social worker the apprentice wage because my husband's salary is similar to a Government of Saskatchewan level nine wage which is paid to social workers in Child and Family Services. The total wage would be thirteen thousand, six hundred and eighty dollars. Stats Can reports that at last survey in 2007 skilled trades employed 97% males. Eight out of ten social workers are women. Because I have a vagina and can reproduce I am out almost fourteen grand in wages and paid 15 times as much in tuition. The unpaid, four month long, 32 hour a week practicum is very unsocial work, and not very feminist either.Jennifer Glennie my sister in law did three unpaid internships to become a teacher. Nurses must also complete unpaid practicums. The top three women dominated professions are not paid for their student learning. My Dad is an engineer and completed a paid internship. According to McGill University's website their engineers complete paid internships today in a field relevant to their area of studies. The engineering profession does employ more women then ever before but is still predominately male. Can the reader guess if medical interns and resident doctors get paid for their learning?
With all the collected works of social workers, the university training centres, and professional organisations it would stand to reason that we would strive to support our students the same way the skilled trades and engineers do. If we are about advancing the social work profession for the betterment of all citizens and the well being of our national and global societies then why do we not support our own members and set up our members to benefit from the system as well? Addressing this disparity will require acknowledgement of the legitimacy of our practise and the importance of this work to society as a whole. Through collaboration Canadian social work, teaching, and nursing academic programs can be adapted in order to support student education in similar ways trade schools or engineering and medicine do. Skilled trades work the system, why can't we? As social workers we fight for the rights of citizens and ensure they have access to social services and income support but yet we do not feel entitled to use these supports like the trades do. It comes to mind that tradesmen feel free to use the system because it is their system. It also occurs to me that if social workers are true feminist and want equal access for all people would that not mean all citizens and not just those in dire need? Does the system not also belong to the rest of us? Do women believe the system is not also ours? Why do we stave off and make sure it is reserved for our clients, or those in 'true need'. Are tradespersons in 'true need'? All persons are in need of support and that belief is VERY social work.
This issue is why I need feminism. Over the course of two paid practicums students could earn over $14 000 in apprentices wages. Or we could receive support from the government to subsidize the cost of tuition we have to pay in order to work without wages. Some students have careers and work while completing their studies. When we work for free our other responsibilities are suffering and we loose time for self care and to relieve financial stress which comes with career preparation and learning. I am not against engineers having paid internships, or trades persons being paid to apprentice and have their education subsidized, just like I am not against men and for women. I am in support of a system that facilitates students to learn in a supportive environment. It is in the best interest of all students to find ways to relieve financial stress in order to help them excel and become successful professionals.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2008110/article/10710-eng.htm
https://mic.com/articles/30974/almost-82-percent-of-social-workers-are-female-and-this-is-hurting-men#.WshjEYVum
