The Calgary Construction Association (CCA) has partnered with TELUS Spark Science Centre and the Government of Alberta, investing $100,000 in the BLUprint Program to inspire youth to pursue careers in skilled trades. This is the largest single investment made by the CCA Education Fund since 2001.
The initiative aims to tackle the growing demand for skilled tradespeople in Alberta, driven by rapid population and economic growth.
The BLUprint Program will feature hands-on activities and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, with exploration spaces designed to educate youth about trades-based science concepts.
The Whole Story:
The Calgary Construction Association (CCA) has announced an new partnership and historic investment with TELUS Spark Science Centre and the Government of Alberta, cumulating in the launch a pioneering program designed to inspire youth to pursue careers in the skilled trades.
The association explained that as Alberta’s population and economy continue to grow rapidly, demand for skilled tradespeople continues to increase, highlighting the need to encourage youth to consider the skilled trades as a career path. To that end, the Calgary Construction Association Education Fund is investing $100,000 towards the (BLU)print Program – the largest single investment made by the Fund since its inception in 2001.
“The Calgary Construction Association is pleased to support TELUS Spark’s skilled trades and STEAM installation,” said Bill Black, President & CEO, Calgary Construction Association. “This initiative underscores our ongoing commitment to highlighting the rewarding careers offered in construction and our efforts to cultivate a vibrant, skilled workforce that is essential for the growth, success, and sustainability of the construction industry.”
Recognizing the critical need to address the skilled labour shortage and invest in future tradespersons, the CCA is dedicated to fostering the next generation of trades professionals. The group stated that its partnership with TELUS Spark Science Centre will create a series of exploration spaces called BLUprint—standing for “Building, Learning, and You.” These spaces are designed to educate youth about trades-based science concepts in a fun and engaging way. Featuring hands-on activities related to carpentry, plumbing, and electrical trades, BLUprint integrates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education.
Phased Approach
Phase 1: Soft-launched on July 11, 2024, and now open to the public, inviting Albertans of all ages to explore the outdoor space and participate in activities related to skilled trades exploration.
Phase 2: Launching in December 2024, includes indoor exhibits that will delve into the trades using a blend of virtual reality job simulators and hands-on activities to meet the interests of kids of all ages.
“Investing in the next generation of skilled tradespeople is crucial for Alberta’s future,” said Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education. “By partnering with TELUS Spark Science Centre, we are creating engaging and educational experiences that inspire young people to explore rewarding careers in the trades. This initiative not only addresses the growing demand for skilled workers but also highlights the importance of STEAM education in building a competitive and innovative workforce.”
In the next decade, 700,000 of the four million Canadians who work in the trades are expected to retire. According to data analyzed by Alberta Jobs, Economy and Trade, there were 7,560 construction trades and management job vacancies in the Calgary economic region in Q3 2023, representing a staggering one-quarter of all job vacancies (30,500) in the city.
The provincial government is allocating $260 million to the Skills Development Fund, bringing the total investment to $1.4 billion. This is their largest investment yet and aims to address Ontario’s labour shortage.
The training will target industries like manufacturing, construction, and technology.
The funding is open to a wide range of organizations, including employers, training providers, and community groups.
The Whole Story:
The Ontario government has announced it is investing up to an additional $260 million through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to tackle the province’s labour shortage.
This will be the largest round of funding since the SDF Training Stream was launched in 2021 and brings Ontario’s total investment through the Fund to up to $1.4 billion. The government is also investing over $7.2 million through a previous round of SDF to train nearly 3,300 workers in the Kitchener area and across Ontario.
“Our government’s record investments in the Skills Development Fund are helping connect workers here in Kitchener and across the province to better jobs and bigger paycheques,” said Premier Doug Ford. “By continuing to work for workers and make these important investments, we are also tackling Ontario’s labour shortage and bringing back good-paying jobs in manufacturing and the skilled trades.”
Building on the success of the previous four rounds, Ontario will open the fifth round of SDF Training Stream on July 29, 2024, to address challenges for recruiting, training and upskilling workers for in-demand sectors such as manufacturing, construction and technology. Organizations eligible for funding include employers, employment service, training providers, labour unions, community organizations, business and industry organizations, municipalities, hospitals, Indigenous Band offices, Indigenous skills and employment training agreement holders and service system managers.
“Under Premier Ford, our government has revived our province’s manufacturing and construction sectors – and the key to our success is Ontario’s workers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “That’s why our government is launching the biggest round of our Skills Development Fund yet by investing up to $260 million to train even more workers across the province. Whether your passion is developing the next generation of EVs, building nuclear power stations or creating homes for new families, our government is making sure you have the opportunity to thrive.”
The announcement was made in Kitchener, where the government also announced an investment of over $7.2 million through the fourth round of SDF to train nearly 3,300 local workers and jobseekers for careers in manufacturing and construction. This brings Ontario’s total investment in training for Kitchener area workers to over $20 million. These projects include:
Canadian Tooling and Machining Association: $5,466,080 to create technical skills development opportunities for at least 3,000 high school students in manufacturing technology programs. This funding will also deliver 300 paid job placements for approximately 160 young people and create 30 new apprenticeships in the precision metalworking industry across Ontario, including tool and die makers, mould makers and computer-numerical-control (CNC) machinists.
Grand Valley Construction Association: $1,086,058 to deliver free job-ready training for careers in construction such as painting, drywall, carpentry, roofing and masonry work, as well as health and safety training, and match participants with local employers through paid job placements. Participants will include jobseekers and people from underrepresented and vulnerable groups such as Indigenous people, newcomers, and justice-involved individuals in Waterloo, Brant and Wellington regions.
Christian Labour Association of Canada: $723,688 to provide free training and paid job placements for workers in construction. The training will focus on the basics of construction and essential skills in health, safety and wellness. Participants will include women, Indigenous people, newcomers, young people, underrepresented people and justice-involved individuals across the province.
Alberta is investing $43 million to plan a new Advanced Skills Centre (ASC) at NAIT.
The ASC aims to be a world-class facility providing apprenticeship training in construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy for an additional 4,200 apprentices per year.
This investment will create modern learning spaces and allow NAIT to consolidate and expand its skilled trades programs to better meet the needs of Alberta’s industries.
The Whole Story:
Alberta’s government is investing $43 million to plan the Advanced Skills Centre at NAIT, training an additional 4,200 apprentices yearly.
“This state-of-the-art facility will raise the profile of apprenticeship education and attract and graduate the workers the province needs,” said NAIT president and CEO Laura Jo Gunter. “By providing experiential training, NAIT will help ensure Alberta’s economy remains prosperous.”
Each year NAIT will see between 30,000 to 40,000 students enrolled in programs across its campuses. Of those students studying in full-time programs, well over 30% enrolled in apprenticeship and skilled trades programs.
Officials say the ASC will deliver the most comprehensive, leading-edge apprenticeship and technology-based education in the world, focused on training in four key sectors: construction, transportation, manufacturing, and energy.
Alberta officials announce new funding for NAIT. – Government of Alberta
“With so many projects on the horizon, the province’s future has never looked brighter,” said Jason Idler, chief operating officer, heavy industrial, PCL Construction. “This state-of-the art facility goes a long way to ensuring we have the workforce we need today to build the infrastructure we need tomorrow.”
Planning funds will help prepare for construction, which will start in 2025. The centre will add 640,000 square feet of new, state-of-the-art learning space to NAIT’s main campus and support the evolution and growth of programming over time, allowing NAIT to meet emerging needs to support Alberta’s diverse and competitive industries.
A rendering what the future facility will look like. – NAIT
This investment is crucial for ensuring students and faculty have access to the most up-to-date learning and training spaces. In some cases, purpose-built facilities at NAIT are more than 60 years old and have reached their end of life, requiring replacement. When construction is completed, the Advanced Skills Centre will include flexible and adaptable learning spaces that can be expanded to accommodate program growth or the introduction of new programs to meet labour market demand.
The ASC will also allow for the repatriation of programs that have been practicing in near isolation. Plumbers, for instance, have learned at Patricia Campus on Edmonton’s west end since the mid-1970s. Welders have been stationed at Souch Campus, in the south, since the late-’90s.
School officials say having them back on Main Campus will bring together all of its trades programs in ways that they have never considered. The structural flexibility of the ASC will also allow for select trades and technologies to be quickly ramped up, helping to provide an influx of skilled workers where they’re needed most.
NAIT officials and students celebrate the funding announcement. – NAIT
Andrew Hansen is the founder and CEO of SitePartners, a specialized marketing and consulting agency built to serve the industrial sector. He recently joined Breakthrough Academy’s Contractor Evolution podcast to discuss employer branding, workforce development and major shifts in the B2B market. Check out his insights below or listen to the full podcast here.
Whether you’ve invested in it or not, right now your brand is talking to buyers, job seekers and the industry as a whole.
What’s it saying?
Employer brands have become especially important in recent years as construction’s labour crisis has worsened and businesses compete for talent. It has become a massive part of the work we do at SitePartners, a specialized marketing and consulting agency built to serve the industrial sector.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, much of our time was spent helping our clients attract the right work. Now, as the industry has continued to grow and demand has taken off, roughly half of our focus has shifted to helping clients attract and retain the right people.
While many firms invest a lot into their marketing programs, not much of that is geared toward recruitment and building an employer brand that attracts talent. But whether you spend time and money on it or not, job seekers will form a perception of your company.
Own your story
Here’s something we stress to our clients: If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. A big first step is reflecting on your organization and its place in the industry. Take some time to understand the unique things about your business that make it what it is. Once you’ve zeroed in on that, don’t shy away from it. Be bold. Own it completely.
SitePartners founder and CEO Andrew Hansen on the Contractor Evolution podcast.
This will scare away some candidates, but attract ones who align with your work and the culture you have created. At SitePartners, we are proud to be a specialized firm that only serves the industrial sector.
For many professionals, it’s not the kind of work that interests them, and that’s OK. The ones who do apply are excited about industrial work. They love forestry, big machines, manufacturing, wearing steel-toe boots and being on a job site. That increases the chance of a successful recruitment journey.
Create a tailored experience
As the demographics of industrial workers shift towards younger candidates, expectations for the hiring process are also changing.
These workers are used to using polished tools like Amazon, Netflix and Instagram. They’re used to a consumer-level experience tailored to them.
Fumbling around uploading PDFs and getting stuck on clunky third-party sites or a company site with low-quality photo and video assets is a bad experience. It’s also a huge missed opportunity for you to communicate your company brand and what working there will be like. If you really care about that employee experience, own that touchpoint from start to finish. Candidates will feel it and it will put you a step above your competitors.
And if you control that experience, you can get your message and assets in front of those candidates. Choosing a job is one of the biggest decisions someone can make, aside from buying a house or finding a spouse. They are going to pick through your website and social media channels to see what your story is. The application and hiring experience says a lot to potential employees about what a company will be like to work for.
Make it personal
Yes. I can almost hear you rolling your eyes through the screen. But hear me out. Investing in your personal brand pays off.
Rather than only posting jobs and content on a corporate page, post using your personal account. If you have invested time in building your brand as an executive and industry leader, this will drive results. This can be a passionate story about the kind of candidate you are looking for with dynamic photos. It will always outperform a corporate page post.
But this means posting even when you aren’t seeking employees. You started your business for a reason. Post about it. Talk about it. Be dynamic. Be personable. It may take you out of your comfort zone but if you are authentic, people will see that. This is incredibly useful for job seekers. They want to know the type of people they could be working for.
Tell an authentic story
Storytelling works. It’s something humans have been drawn to for thousands of years. We are hooked by a good story. Use that in your messaging. If you had someone join you as a labourer and they worked their way up to vice president, that’s a captivating story. This is something that the biggest construction brands do on a daily basis. You can too.
Good talent isn’t looking for a job tomorrow. They are educating themselves over time. So telling those stories consistently is key.
Authenticity is just as important. Don’t be somebody you’re not. Talk on social media the same way you do to your employees. If you attract talent and they get hired, they will find that out anyway. During our interview process at SitePartners, we almost try to scare people away, telling them up front that the work is hard, it’s dynamic and we move fast. We want to be clear about what it’s like to work here so people know what they are signing up for.
You don’t need to make a huge financial investment or hire a big marketing firm to start getting results. Here are a few quick steps that any company can take to get started:
Audit your current brand: Look at your job ads, your website, and your application process to see how you are perceived in the marketplace and how you are presenting. What story are you telling? Have someone apply to your company and ask them how the experience was.
Define that position: Now that you know the current status of your brand, spend some time defining what you want your company’s position in the industry to be. Does it match the results of your audit?
Interview your top performers: You have access to an invaluable resource—people you have successfully attracted and retained. Talk to them to find out why. Ask them why they applied, why they have stayed, and what their experience was like.
Own it: Once you have a clear idea of your company brand and its position, consistently push out that content on all your channels. Make sure the content is aligned. If you are starting from scratch, this will take time, but it is a worthwhile investment. When you do have a role you need filled, you can leverage your brand to pull in the right people.
B2B Data highlights the importance of branding
At SitePartners, all of our work is driven by data and strategy. We never go into a creative process blind hoping for the best. The data shows that it isn’t just the workforce that’s shifting. The entire B2B sector is changing.
Research shows 94% of B2B buyers considering a major purchase are researching products or services online before ever contacting a salesperson. And by the time they do, they are 57% of the way through their decision-making process. These customers are engaging with your brand and forming a perception about your company before they even talk to you.
Buyers of complex deals spend roughly 17% of their time talking to sales. And if they are talking to three vendors, a common situation, they are only talking to you for an even smaller percentage of that time. Not only that, nearly half of these B2B buyers are under 40 and extremely comfortable using digital channels. They expect a polished digital experience. Research also shows that these major B2B decisions are only being made once every five years, meaning that only 20% of your customers are looking to spend in 2024.
With so little direct contact with digitally sophisticated, young B2B buyers, how do you stand out?
You have to use your brand. Those buyers are still consuming case studies, project announcements, social media posts, website copy and interacting with your brand in the years leading up to that big purchase. The benefits of investing time in your brand can be huge. Roughly 16% of B2B buyers found that if a brand’s content was useful to them, they went on to buy their product or service and 33% noted that if the content was high quality it gave them a positive perception of the company.
Your company’s brand is communicating with the industry right now. Are you in control of what it’s saying?
Ontario will prioritize permits for students pursuing programs in high-demand areas, including skilled trades, health human resources, STEM, hospitality and child care.
Officials say the change is in response to the federal governments cap on international student study permits.
96% of permit applications will go to publicly assisted colleges and universities while career colleges will receive none.
The province said it intents to assist schools by helping them transition to programming that is aligned with labour market needs.
The Whole Story:
In response to the federal government’s cap on the number of international student study permit applications over the next two years, Ontario announced plans to prioritize public postsecondary programs for in-demand careers, including the skilled trades.
“We are protecting the integrity of our province’s postsecondary education system by attracting the best and brightest international students to Ontario to study in areas that are critical to our economy,” said Jill Dunlop, minister of colleges and universities. “We have been working with postsecondary institutions to ensure international students are enrolled in the programs to support a pipeline of graduates for in-demand jobs.”
Ontario says it will allocate 96% of permit applications to publicly assisted colleges and universities, with the remaining 4% allotted to Ontario’s language schools, private universities and other institutions. Career colleges will not receive any applications.
Applications will be allocated to institutions based on the following criteria:
Prioritize programs in the following high-demand areas, including skilled trades, health human resources, STEM, hospitality and child care.
Cannot exceed the institution’s 2023 permit levels.
As a final backstop, the ratio of international permits cannot exceed 55% (exclusive of high-demand areas) of the institution’s 2023 first-year domestic enrolment.
French-language enrolment will also be prioritized as employers compete for workers with French-language skills. The government says it will work with colleges and universities to support them in standing up and transitioning to programming that is aligned with labour market needs and support Ontario’s economic growth.
To protect international postsecondary students and ensure they have a positive and rewarding experience when studying in Ontario, the government:
Is taking action requiring all publicly assisted colleges and universities to have a guarantee that housing options are available for incoming international students.
Invested over $32 million in 2023-24 to support the mental health of all postsecondary students. This includes funding provided directly to postsecondary institutions through multiple grants.
Introduced the Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024that would, if passed, aim to enhance the student experience by putting in place additional measures to support mental health, safe and inclusive campuses and allow for increased transparency of fees, benefiting all students including international students.
International students may apply for a post-graduation work permit after graduating from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada. Ontario approves DLIs under the joint provincial-federal International Student Program. DLIs are eligible to enrol international students in programs of study six months in duration or longer on a study permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
As part of the changes announced by the federal government in January 2024, international students who begin a program at a publicly assisted college that is delivered through a private partner will not be eligible for a post-graduation work permit starting on May 15, 2024.
Key Takeaways:
The initiative has resulted in the hiring and registering of 2075 apprentices in 37 Red Seal trades, and sent payments to more than 1020 qualified employers.
These payments totalled more than $15.725 million and went to businesses that took on apprentices.
It targeted small- and medium-sized construction employers to help them overcome the financial barriers inherent in hiring and training first-year apprentices.
The Apprenticeship Services program formally closes on March 31.
The Whole Story:
The BC Construction Association (BCCA) announced that it has completed delivery on the most far-reaching construction trade apprenticeship drive ever undertaken in B.C., surpassing its funding objective by $2.280 million. The Apprenticeship Services workforce development program was financed through the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Apprenticeship Service. The BCCA noted that the initiative was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.
Employers who registered up to four first-year apprentices in BCCA’s Apprenticeship Services program could qualify to earn up to $40,000 in cash incentives over two years. Since launching in September 2022, the financial incentives offered through Apprenticeship Services have resulted in the hiring and registering of 2075 apprentices in 37 Red Seal trades, and sent payments to more than 1020 qualified employers. Over $15.725 million has been injected into the B.C. economy through BCCA’s Apprenticeship Services program.
“I’m proud of the team at BCCA who delivered the Apprenticeship Services project ahead of schedule and under budget, far exceeding important targets set by the Federal government. In addition, we were able to transfer $780,000 from our operational budget into the program as a result of our team’s efficiencies, to the direct benefit of BC’s construction employers and apprentices,” states BCCA President Chris Atchison. “Canadian taxpayers deserve nothing less than the efficient and reliable stewardship exemplified by BCCA’s outstanding management of programs like Apprenticeship Services.”
Leveraging its strong industry network and a highly successful Builders Life ad campaign, BCCA surpassed important funder targets, including in the amount of financial incentives paid and the diversity of apprentices. In addition, Apprenticeship Services drove program participants to key industry partners such as SkilledTradesBC.
The province-wide initiative was delivered to small- and medium-sized construction employers to help them overcome the financial barriers inherent in hiring and training first-year apprentices. In-demand trades such as electrical and plumbing benefitted from financial incentives.
“At a time when BC’s construction industry faces critical workforce shortages, BCCA has stepped up to support employers through workforce development programs like Apprenticeship Services,” continues Atchison. “We’re doing our part to mitigate the ongoing workforce shortage in construction. The current and foreseeable gap is too large to meet BC’s very real housing and infrastructure needs.”
A total of 1338 Apprenticeship Services program employers became signatories of the Builders Code Acceptable Worksite Culture Pledge, as part of a BCCA support and training program designed to improve worksite culture, increase worker attraction and retention, and eliminate harassment, bullying, hazing and discrimination. Continuing to improve and strengthen diversity within BC’s construction industry was a key component of funding objectives and remains an ongoing goal of the BCCA.
BCCA’s Apprenticeship Services program formally closes on March 31, 2024.
