FREDERICTON, NB, Oct. 23, 2023 /CNW/ – Canada needs more skilled trades workers. Demographic shifts and high retirement rates are fuelling demand and an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more Canadians for rewarding careers in the skilled trades.

Today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, highlighted an interactive exhibit visiting high schools and colleges across New Brunswick and giving 2,500 students the opportunity to explore careers in the skilled trades. Developed by the Government of Canada, this exhibit is part of a national campaign and it has already visited Ottawa and Montréal. It will continue on to Toronto and Vancouver later this fall. 

This new, interactive and dynamic exhibit provides an experience where individuals learn about different skilled trades careers, find in-demand trades where they live and discover the steps it takes to become a skilled trades worker. The exhibit focuses on creating an in-person and immersive experience and directs participants to Canada.ca/skilled-trades—a repository of information about what the skilled trades are, how to get started, and which trades are the most in demand.

Additionally, on October 23 and 24, in collaboration with Skills Canada, Leo Hayes High School will be home to the Try-A-Trade event and the Fire Burn event. At the Fire Burn, local fire safety organizations will teach students from across the area about fire safety and the various trades involved in fire extinguishing through hands-on experience. The exhibit will then travel to the Saint John campus of New Brunswick Community College on October 26 and 27.

In New Brunswick, the construction industry experienced the largest employment growth at 5,800 new jobs in 2022. In the Fredericton–Oromocto region specifically, a number of Red Seal trades have attractive employment outlooks over the 2022–24 period. They include:

• automotive service technician, truck and bus mechanic
• baker
• carpenter
• construction millwright and industrial mechanic
• construction trades helper and labourer
• heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic
• cook
• floorcovering installer
• hairstylist

The exhibit aligns with the efforts of the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which aims to support a trades workforce that is skilled, inclusive, certified and productive. As part of the Strategy, the Government invests nearly $1 billion annually in grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, projects and support for the Red Seal Program.

Quotes

“Skilled trade workers are integral to the Canadian economy, and these jobs are in high demand. We will continue to raise awareness about the great careers available to young Canadians in trades, which will build a robust and diverse skilled trade workforce now, and for the economy of the future.” 
– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault

“Events like these are a great way to encourage our country’s future workforce to explore skilled trade careers through interactive activities. With a growing demand for skilled trade workers, it is important to promote these rewarding careers to youth and show them the opportunities that exist in these industries.”
– Chief Executive Officer, Skills/Compétences Canada, Shaun Thorson

Quick Facts 

• The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum estimates that, from 2022 to 2026, over 122,000 new journeypersons will be required to sustain workforce certification across Red Seal trades in Canada. Of these, more than 92,000 journeypersons will be concentrated in the top 15 national in-demand Red Seal trades, which include cook, industrial electrician, painter and decorator, and welder.
• According to BuildForce Canada, the construction industry alone needs to recruit 299,200 new workers over the next decade (by 2032), driven predominantly by the expected retirement of 245,100 workers (20% of the 2022 construction labour force).
• Through the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, the Government of Canada offers project funding to help employers, unions and other organizations participate in apprenticeship, and direct financial support to apprentices in the Red Seal trades.

Associated Links

Government of Canada encourages Canadians to explore careers in the skilled trades
Canada.ca/skilled-trades
Supports for the skilled trades and apprenticeships
Canada Apprentice Loan 
Apprenticeship Grants 
Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
Budget 2022
Fall Economic Statement 2022

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: For media enquiries, please contact: Farrah-Lilia Kerkadi, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, 343-553-6203, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]