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OTTAWA – Wear it, sip it, love it — Susie Shed style.

It’s the tagline for a growing movement that’s encouraging young girls to consider a career in the mechanical and electrical construction industry and showcasing it with some swag.

Susie Builds has officially launched a collection with everything from hats to mugs to T-shirts.

“This collection was created for the builders, the makers and those just getting started,” a LinkedIn post about the launch reads. “Because building isn’t just about what you create — it’s about how you see yourself. And sometimes, that starts with something as simple as wearing it proudly.”

Susie Builds has become a growing community that originated with the unveiling of the children’s book Susie’s Shed, which was created by the  (MCAC) Women in Canadian Trade Contracting committee.

Created as a way to reach out to the next generation, Susie’s Shed was written by Ken Lancastle, chief operating officer of MCAC, and illustrated by Michael Roy.

But Susie’s adventures didn’t stop with one book. In November another book launched called Susie’s Marvelous World of ME, which stands for mechanical and electrical. 

There’s been colouring contests, book fairs and other events showcasing how much fun Susie has learning all about the industry.

As Judy-Lynn Mason, Women in Canadian Trade Contracting chair from 2023 to 2025, put it:  “We’re planting the seed of a girl performing a trade, in a fun way, but – equally important – we’re also normalizing it for boys that the girls are in trades, before they realize that it’s an anomaly.”

For more information and to view the collection