Enticing the youth
The construction sector is traditionally one of the largest employers in the Canadian labour market. Over the years, this industry has relied heavily on labour from other countries, thanks to immigration processes, to meet demand in a country that is constantly evolving and changing.
The reality of today’s world reveals that the investment made in the education of our youngest citizens by their parents (many of whom work in construction or in other professions that require physical effort) has ended up keeping them away from one of the essential sectors of any developed economy.
Nowadays, Canada has a vital sector to its economy in dire need of renewal —the more experienced and knowledgeable elders are retiring or close to it. The need for skilled labour is thus a source of concern for employers in the construction sector, who need to match high demand, thanks to the country’s dynamic real estate market and increasing population.
Young people, although they may feel attracted by a job which is one of the best paid, seem to prefer to feed other dreams, looking for a job which they consider more in keeping with the present day. To a large extent, in reality, many of them have a profound ignorance of what this work is today. They are unaware that here too there is a lot of technology supporting workers and, in a way, making light of what was once very heavy work.
The Unions have played a fundamental role, which can be decisive, trying, on the one hand, to attract younger people to this area of work and, on the other hand, to give current workers more and more skills to modernise the work process. In this edition of Milénio Stadium, we bring you two examples.
With the help of Sérgio Sandro Pinto, Executive Director of LiUNA Local 183 Training, and Cristina Selva, Executive Director of the College of Carpenters and Allied Trades INC, we understand what kind of work is being done to secure the future.
TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED
The Centre’s mandate is to provide Health and Safety, Skills upgrading and apprenticeship to the current and future members of LiUNA Local 183.
COURSES & TRAINING
We offer a number of health and safety programs, including Working at Heights, Traffic Control, WHMIS, Propane Cert, First Aid. We also deliver sector specific skills construction programs and are a registered Training Delivery Agent for the MLTSD for the CCW, Brick and Stone, Cement Finisher and Rubber.
- Brick and Stone Mason;
- Cement (Concrete) Finisher;
- Construction Craft Worker;
- Heavy Equipment Operator – Tractor Loader Backhoe
www.183training.com
HOW TO ATTRACT THE YOUTH
We have a dedicated Outreach person that visits High Schools, does tours of our campuses, virtual sessions, engages with community groups for the sole purpose of recruiting and exposing young people to the trades.
SUCCEEDING IN ATTRACTING NEW PEOPLE
The Construction industry has made great strides towards promoting opportunities in the trades. Obviously this needs to be a continued focus of the industry, government, the school system as a whole, parents and the general public so we can give people interested in getting involved the best possible opportunity to succeed.
THE FUTURE
The future or recruitment relies on a number of factors, a commitment from both Unions and Employers working together to provide opportunities, the assistance from all levels of government to continue to invest in things like large infrastructure projects, housing, civil works etc.. to keep the industry attractive for people to consider a career in. The secondary and post-secondary educational institutions to invest resources in promoting the trades and even considering including trades related learning in High Schools across Ontario.
College of Carpenters and Allied Trades Inc.
TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED
College of Carpenters and Allied Trades Inc. (CCAT) provides career/lifelong learning opportunities for union members in order to meet evolving industry technologies and needs as well as health and safety practices.
COURSES & TRAINING
Pre-apprenticeship
CCAT offers a pre-apprenticeship training program in Formwork Carpentry designed to equip new entrants into General Carpentry Apprenticeship with market ready employment skills upon completion of the seven-week course.
CCAT is also proud to partner with government, developers, employers, and community stakeholders in offering pre-apprenticeship programs such as the Creating Real Apprenticeships for Toronto (CRAFT) program for at-risk youth.
Apprenticeship
Two separate joint union-employer committees, the Carpenters Joint Local Apprenticeship Committee (JLAC) and the Floor Covering Installer Joint Local Apprenticeship Committee, oversee activities related to the General Carpenter and Floor Covering Installer Apprenticeship programs offered by CCAT.
General Carpenter Apprenticeship
CCAT is the largest Training Delivery Agency of General Carpentry Apprenticeship – on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) – in the province of Ontario, with 2,500 carpentry apprentices signed to its JLAC and providing all three levels of mandatory schooling to approximately 450 apprentices a year.
Floor Covering Installer Apprenticeship
CCAT is also the largest Training Delivery Agency on behalf of MAESD for Floor Covering Apprenticeship in the province, offering both levels of mandatory schooling to Floor Covering Apprentices province-wide.
HOW TO ATTRACT THE YOUTH
We promote our apprenticeship programs to young people through a number of vehicles including community based organizations, Local area school Boards, employment agencies etc.. We recruit new apprentices on a continuing basis year-round. Some of our most successful recruits come to us through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. Grade 12 students in their graduating semester come to College of Carpenters and Allied Trades Inc. (CCAT) to start their apprenticeships while still in high school. It has proven to provide a seamless transition from High School to careers in construction carpentry.
SUCCEEDING IN ATTRACTING NEW PEOPLE
We have had a great deal of success in recruiting new people as more and more people learn about the great opportunities that are available through careers in construction – especially through Union membership which ensures that our carpenters earn high wages, benefits, and enjoy sustained employment. There are, however, challenges in recruiting sufficient numbers of people due to demographic and market pressures. Over the next decade construction activity is projected to grow and to remain robust in Ontario, especially in the GTA due to large infrastructure projects. At the same time 21% of our existing workforce will be retiring. This situation is also not unique to the construction industry. Other industries are confronting the same recruitment challenges due to an aging workforce, so we are competing with other industries for the same relatively scarce available human resources. Immigration will continue to play an essential role in helping us to recruit sufficient numbers of workers for years to come.
THE FUTURE
We are hopeful that our recruitment efforts will continue to be successful but as noted above, there are and will continue to be challenging.
Catarina Balça/MS
Redes Sociais - Comentários