By Erika Rolling/EverythingGP

Apprenticeship Training

Province targets construction industry to get more Albertans trained and working

Jul 6, 2022 | 4:41 PM

Albertans looking to start their career in the construction industry now have a new program to secure an apprenticeship.

The province’s new Trades Pathway program is a 33-month, $3.2 million pilot project aimed at getting more skilled workers to be job-ready.

The Alberta Construction Association, End Poverty Edmonton and Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers have partnered with the Government of Alberta for the program.

Trainees will have the opportunity to gain skills and experience in a variety of trades by members companies in the Alberta Construction Association partaking in the pilot project.

Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of advanced education, says the goal of the pilot is to engage unemployed and underemployed, young Albertans.

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“Employers across Alberta, in various sectors, including the construction sector, have shared concerns that there are not enough apprentices and other skilled tradespeople to keep up with the work.”

Nicolaides says as many as three-thousand skilled trades workers are retiring each year.

He says the pilot is “to provide them (Albertans) with a unique opportunity to train across multiple construction organizations, to gain hands-on experience and to develop comprehensive, exciting skills.”

“Alberta’s construction sector is integral to the growth and economic prosperity of our province. As outlined in the Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy, we are focused on building a highly skilled and competitive workforce that will be ready to meet increased industry demands while helping young Albertans access the training they need to find good-paying jobs.”

Funding is intended to provide support to apprentices for wage support and top-ups, preparatory training costs, and PPE and tools costs.