Skilled Trades Workers Help the Economy: Advancement in Technology

Today, twenty-five per cent of skilled trades workers are set to retire in the next decade, a number that far outweighs that of new entrants.

The future of Canada’s economy and the role of the trades may surprise you. Skilled tradespeople will be crucial going into the future.

The push for digital and automation means moving more work to virtual spaces. While the skilled trades are physical by nature, we can’t forget that digital doesn’t mean there is no brick and mortar needed. For example – cloud-based information on servers need to be housed in a physical environment. While we may see a push for smart infrastructure integrated with information and communication technology, none of this precludes a physical, built environment.

Canada is about to make a massive investment in physical infrastructure. According to the newly proposed Canadian Infrastructure Bank, our Federal Government will put up $35 billion dollars in an attempt to attract even more money in the private sector that can, in turn, be invested in projects across the country.

Some have estimated that we will see a shortage of 250,000 people in the construction industry alone, according to Rosemary Sparks - Construction Sector Council spokeswoman.

“If Canada is going to invest heavily in infrastructure, we must ensure we make equally strong investments in training talent that is going to build it.”- Nobina Robinson (Policy thought leader on Canadian innovation, higher education and skills)

Today’s education system favours a university degree, leading to years of living with debt and no guarantee you will end up with a career in your chosen field. Young people need to realize they have other options when starting their career! Job opportunities in the trades are just waiting to be filled. Apprenticeships allows young people to gain hands on experience while working alongside seasoned professionals. Apprentices have the opportunity to earn a paycheque during their training, allowing many men and women to enter their career with little to no debt.

At Support Ontario Youth, it is our mission to help guide people interested in the trades and offer them a new way to start an apprenticeship. We offer numerous scholarships each year, assist job-ready-apprentices with finding placements, provide mentorship, and deliver helpful resources. Support Ontario Youth also supports employers who are working with apprentices, allowing them to focus solely on the training, while we take care of recruitment placement, and paperwork.

Skilled trades have a major role to play in our economy going forward. There are ample opportunities for well paying, fulfilling careers. Will we have the workforce needed to fill these rolls? YOU can be part of the solution. Find out how you can partner with Support Ontario Youth at www.supportontarioyouth.ca.

Resources:

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/nobina-robinson/canada-skilled-trades_b_14136620.html

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/shortage-of-skilled-workers-could-jeopardize-the-economy-1.2687365

https://www.lowes.ca/articles/why-you-could-face-a-shortage-of-skilled-workers_a836.html

https://www.transcanada.com/en/stories-container/community/why-you-should-consider-a-career-in-the-skilled-trades/