lot smoother. A great innovation, well done!” said Dan
Campenelli, BOT Construction.
Budget 2019: short on restoring investor confidence,
strong on workforce development
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is disappointed
that the federal government has not taken more concrete
actions to restore investor confidence in Canada.
“CCA had wished to see a fiscal remedy for the ongoing
steel and aluminum tariffs, some relief for our heavy construction
sector that is facing new challenges with carbon pricing and
a strong commitment to improving the flow of infrastructure
funding,” said Mary Van Buren, CCA president.
However, CCA would like to recognize the government for
its continued leadership on and commitment to prompt payment
legislation. The industry looks forward to working with the
government in continued partnership and a successful rollout
of this initiative.
Addressing the workforce shortage issue is another key
priority for the construction industry. The CCA is appreciative
of the federal government’s recognition of the importance of
a skilled, diverse and tech-savvy workforce in Canada and is
highly supportive of the commitment of $46 million over four
years for Skills Canada Funding, the promotional campaign
to attract young Canadians to the skilled trades and the
increased funding for co-op placements.
“By creating workplace opportunities for students in
construction during their studies, we hope to inspire the next
generation who will build our future sustainable communities,”
Van Buren said. The CCA also looks forward to participating
in the announced Apprenticeship Strategy to ensure that the
existing programs adequately address barriers to entry and
other related workforce initiatives.
“The CCA continues to applaud the efforts of the government
on the Investing in Canada plan, particularly the $2.2 billion
top-up to support municipal and local priorities,” said Van
Buren. “We believe these proposed measures will indeed help
‘Build a better Canada’ and look forward to working with the
government on their timely adoption.”
Construction is a cornerstone of the Canadian economy,
employing 1.5 million Canadians and generating 7.2 per cent
of the gross domestic product. The construction industry is
integral to building strong and resilient Canadian communities,
connecting citizens and businesses.
Construction skilled trades have high
job satisfaction levels
Ontario’s construction industry is facing labour supply issues
despite the tremendous opportunities that await young
people across a wide spectrum of trades. These opportunities
will improve for two major reasons: the wave of retirement
that is anticipated over the next decade and the expectation
that construction activity will increase due to the emphasis
on infrastructure from Ottawa and Queen’s Park.
The Residential Construction Council of Ontario
(RESCON), with support from the Ontario government,
commissioned two reports that provide a road map to
improve recruitment and retention of young workers. These
reports are bolstered by a video series which highlight the
Construction is a
cornerstone of the Canadian
economy, employing 1.5
million Canadians and
generating 7.2 per cent of
the gross domestic product.
high job satisfaction of trades workers who are currently
employed across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond.
A firm specializing in work-related research, Job Talks,
conducted a comprehensive online, 30-minute survey of
412 skilled trades workers, which resulted in the report,
“Retaining Employees in the Skilled Trades.” Among the findings,
author Dr. Jon Callegher concludes that:
• Despite the stigma associated with construction trades,
65 per cent of the GTA trades workers rated their job
satisfaction between eight and 10 on a scale of one to 10.
The average score was 7.9.
• Nearly two-thirds of skilled trades workers would strongly
recommend the trades to a young person.
• Eighty-one per cent of the workers enjoy a sense of
financial security.
• Many survey participants also said that construction
challenges their bodies and minds, that they are always
learning and that they enjoy the camaraderie and the
team approach at the workplace.
The second study, “A Behavioural Economics Approach
to Recruitment in Skilled Construction Trades,” by Jason
Steward and Lindsay McCardle, finds that young people
require more career information to make the right career
decisions through an EAST framework: making desired
choices and actions Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely.
If these approaches are used by influencers – including
teachers, guidance counsellors, parents and industry – this
will improve the number of young people who will consider
and enter the skilled trades at a younger age.
The reports add that behavioural economics principles
can be used to better inform guidance counsellors on how
they can provide more effective career guidance on the industry,
including the creation of a “third wall” of career options (the
first wall in the guidance office is for universities, the second
for colleges, the third for the skilled trades).
INDUSTRY NEWS
72 Q2 2019 www.pilingcanada.ca
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