RC115 NovDec 2024 - Magazine - Page 17
BRINGING SEXY BACK
Closing the labour gap in construction means changing
people’s perception of the industry
by John Tenpenny
MPLOYING MORE THAN 1.6 MILLION people and generating
$150 billion of annual economic activity, construction accounts for 7.4 per cent of Canada’s GDP.
However, a skilled labour shortage driven by an
aging workforce and fewer young workers entering
trades threatens Canada’s plans to build and repair
infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need for growth in
the construction workforce.
During a recent ReNew Canada Webinar Series—with
support from PCL Construction—a panel of experts
discussed the creative and collaborative long- and shortterm e昀昀orts required to address this challenge.
E
ReNew Canada: The construction industry continues
to suffer from a misguided perception that it’s not
a prosperous or respectable career path. What can
governments, industry and educational institutions do to
help change this?
MYKE BADRY (PCL): There’s an onus on us to sell our business.
And I think somewhere along the way, we as industry
forgot to sell this as a viable career path to young people.
As industry, we have to start selling ourselves to the
post-secondary school market inside our high schools and
teaching people that careers in construction o昀昀er a great
lifestyle and a great opportunity to educate themselves
through experience on the job site. The government plays
a role as well, and they need to start funding programs
in schools to help bring a strong level of education and
awareness to careers in the construction industry. There
is also an onus on our workforce to be strong stewards of
professionalism.
JEANNINE MARTIN (VRCA): Construction needs a bit of a rebrand.
We need to bring sexy back to construction. We need
to bring the attention back on the industry as the viable
career that it is. Here in B.C., 90 per cent of construction
OUR PANEL:
MYKE BADRY,
Vice President and
District Manager,
PCL Toronto
JEANNINE MARTIN,
President, Vancouver
Regional
Construction
Association
BILL FERREIRA,
BARRY MURPHY,
Executive Director,
BuildForce Canada
Business
Development
Manager, EllisDon
We asked recent ReNew Canada Webinar Series attendees
about the state of Canada’s construction labour market.
Here’s what they had to say:
Which area
will have
the biggest
effect on
reducing the
skilled labour
shortage?
78%
Education/
apprenticeships
22%
Who is responsible for
changing the image of the
construction industry?
The
industry itself
30%
Other
Governments/Industry
GETTY IMAGES
John Tenpenny is the
editor of ReNew Canada.
john@actualmedia.ca
RENEWCANADA.NET
Will the labour gap have
shrunk or grown by 2034?
70%
GROWN 100%
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024– RENEW CANADA 17
