T he Canadian construction industry, like many industries in Canada, is faced with seeing its work force get older as our population ages. Over the next 10 years the Canadian construction industry will need to build on its recruitment efforts as skilled labour retirees looks to exceed 268,000. This is a major and ongoing challenge faced by the construction sector and one that needs an industry wide strategy blueprint to attract and recruit young people to the industry along with those working in other i n d u s t r i e s and sectors in addition to workers from outside of Canada. Making the industry as they say, “Sexy,” to a young work force will be a change but one that I am confident that the industry can do. Given the higher post secondary education cost, more and more young adults are looking to the trades as a career. Over the last 10 years many industry specific schools have emerged through partnerships with Industry Leaders and Employers to give our young adults an opportunity to learn the trades of the industry and join the skilled labour market. With a down turn in the resource industry, more and more skilled workers are making the transition to the Construction industry; this migration will help to reduce the need for skilled labour in the short term, with the key being to retain these workers once the resource sector rebounds. Good news comes from immigration from outside of Canada. The number of Economic Immigrants coming into Canada is at one of the highest levels that we have seen in the past 10 years. All indicators show that these trends will continue to help build our skilled labour force. In 2014, 260,404 Immigrants came into Canada with 165,089 of those claiming Economic Immigrant status, which is good news for employers. Any way you look at it there is a lot of work to do and be done to meet the needs for skilled labour in Canada’s Construction Industry, but I am confident that industry leads are up for the challenge.
127 DECEMBER 2016 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS
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