New Website Highlights Working in Construction

The first-ever website on construction careers in Canada launched recently to expose the public to the tremendous and growing opportunities in the field.

Developed by the Construction Sector Council (CSC) in conjunction with construction employers and associations, educators and government, www.careersinconstruction.ca features extensive data on this $150-billion industry that accounts for more than 12% of Canada's economy and employs one out of every 17 Canadians.

The site includes information on training and apprenticeship options, where the jobs are, the many perks of working in construction, and job prospects for the foreseeable future.

"Construction is in a period of unprecedented activity, and this is placing pressure on the labour market," says Rosemary Sparks, director of projects for the CSC, a national organization made up of construction businesses and labour groups.

"We see a lot of growth happening up until 2013, and we wanted to ensure there was a mechanism for people to know about these opportunities."

Geared at career transitioners as well as high school students and their parents and educators, the site features essential information on the four sectors of construction: new home building and renovation; heavy industrial construction; institutional and commercial construction, and civil engineering construction.

It also breaks down the different types of employers that comprise the 260,000 firms in the country's construction industry, including general contractors, design-builders, construction managers, speculative builders and trade contractors.

The site lists 36 trades careers, such as carpenter, welder, roofer, millwright and heavy equipment mechanic, and extensive information on each profession, such as a description of the work itself, work conditions, required skills, and apprenticeship opportunities with links to the schools in each province offering such training.

The site features extensive information on what an apprenticeship is, the differences in standards among different provinces, what students can expect to earn and how they can sign up. A particularly useful tool is the search engine that allows users to conduct tailored research on the apprenticeship of their choice by specific criteria, career type, organization type, province and/or city.

"Training for a career in construction is unique in that you can earn while you learn," Sparks says. "Apprenticing is a process of in-school learning and on-the-job experience that allows you to earn a decent wage, and you don't end up with a tremendous debt load at end of your training."

Complementing the factual information are a series of personal profiles of individuals enjoying lucrative careers in construction, including several women -- debunking the stereotype that the field is still largely a boys' club.

The site also methodically tackles several other enduring myths about working construction, such as that the work is just tool-slinging, and is an out for those with no other career choices.

"Occupations and trades in construction require not only physical aptitude but a lot of essential skills, such as mathematics, reading, writing and communication," Sparks says.
"Also, the careers are viable and sustainable and you can make a good living. You can be a tradesperson on a job site and then move up the ladder to become foreman, or you can be an entrepreneur, or an instructor -- we're trying to make sure people understand the breadth of what they can do."

Metals giant INCO is just one of many in recent months to voice the alarm of the shortage of skilled workers in the country. A recent press release stated that skilled workers are retiring faster than they can be replaced, and this is causing a “war for talent being waged in Ontario’s natural resources sector”.

In fact, a survey of 1,000 employers released Feb. 21st takes it a step further. Two-thirds – 66% - of employers in Canada report having difficulty filling positions due to a lack of suitable talent, well above the 40% of employers globally, according to the survey last month of nearly 33,000 employers across 23 countries and regions, including 1,000 employers here.

Concerns about skills shortages prompted all parties in the last election campaign to promise more support for training.

The new Conservative government's campaign commitments include a $1,000 grant to help apprentices cover workplace costs, a $500 tools tax deduction for existing tradespeople and a tax credit of up to $2,000 for businesses that establish new apprenticeship positions.