The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth, is announcing funding to develop a comprehensive understanding of the current environment of the skilled trades in the construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Funding for this project is provided by the Newfoundland and Labrador-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement.
TradesNL will receive over $135,000 to initiate a labour market assessment project beginning with developing and distributing a targeted industry survey to understand the current membership, workforce availability, and barriers to entry in all construction sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador. The survey will also seek feedback on strategies on retention of skilled tradespeople in the province.
This initiative is designed to produce a comprehensive assessment of workforce availability across all construction sectors, including industrial, commercial, and institutional construction, residential homebuilding, road construction and non-union contractors. Data collected will help address future skilled trades shortages and ensure a stable and skilled workforce for the provincial construction industry.
Outreach and awareness efforts will be incorporated into the project to raise the profile of the construction sector, focusing on attracting youth and underrepresented groups to skilled trades. This builds on and supports the Provincial Government’s Make it Excellent in the Skilled Trades campaign to encourage youth and underemployed individuals to pursue careers in the skilled trades through apprenticeship.
For more information about the campaign and to learn about opportunities in the skilled trades, visit MakeItExcellent.ca.
Quotes
“The ability of our province to harness the full benefits of our natural resources, and our industrious character, is dependent on developing and retaining skilled tradespeople. While we know retirements in the construction industry are coming, this project will provide additional data to form a more comprehensive understanding of what we need to do to secure a healthy skilled trades workforce for years to come.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth
“The construction industry is a vital pillar of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, ranking as the fourth largest contributor to the province’s GDP. To ensure sustained growth and development, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of our skilled trades workforce. This involves identifying our strengths and addressing areas where we need to bolster supply, while also enhancing training opportunities. Retaining skilled workers is essential for the province’s progress. By optimizing resource development both within the province and across the country, we can create consistent and highly valued job opportunities.”
Bob Fiander
Executive Director, TradesNL
Source: gov.nl.ca
