RC115 NovDec 2024 - Magazine - Page 18
SKILLED TRADES
companies are 20 people or less, making it an incredible entrepreneurial opportunity for somebody who wants to go into business
and build a career. You can start on the tools and end up running a
business—there are many di昀昀erent paths you can go. And much of
that is getting out to the schools and in front of the parents to show
them the path that their children can follow in construction. We
have to amplify those e昀昀orts and we have to make connection with
more students at a time.
school, then 昀椀nd work, just like most other professions. Construction is unique. That’s not the way we develop individuals. And so
a lot of young people struggle with that, and we need to do a better
job of educating them on exactly what the pathways are into the
industry.
BARRY MURPHY (ELLISDON): Part of the challenge is recognizing the demographic that we’re targeting is very di昀昀erent than it was 30 years
ago. We can’t approach this with old methods, we can’t approach
from our perspective. We must approach it from
their perspective. They need to understand that
there’s a lifestyle and opportunities available
through our industry, not just wearing a hard
hat and swinging a hammer—which doesn’t appeal to people who spend hours a day on scrolling through TikTok. Some of the most successful
and wealthy people I know run construction
companies, sub-trades, manufacturing facilities,
and young people don’t realize that these opportunities are there.
And it’s not just about educating youth. It’s giving them the information to go back home and educate their parents who may not be
supportive of their children working in the construction industry.
“Most people don’t know how to join this industry. They think the
chronology should be, finish high school, go to school, then find work.”
BILL FERREIRA (BUILDFORCE CANADA): Governments need to do a better
job of funding the kinds of programs that expose young people to
tools and. When I was in Grade Eight everyone was required to do
a home economics class and a shop class. That just doesn’t happen
anymore. As an industry we need to work more directly with school
boards and many of the local construction associations across the
country are doing this.
Most young people have no idea how to join this industry. They
tend to think the chronology should be, 昀椀nish high school, go to
What role can Canada’s immigration system play to help address
the construction industry labour shortage?
JEANNINE MARTIN: We’re not moving fast enough and we’re not cutting
the red tape fast enough. It takes too long to 昀椀ll the pipeline. We’re
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photo credit: CDPQ Infra
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RENEW CANADA – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
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