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Federal government launches new awareness campaign for skilled trades

Canada needs more skilled trades workers. Demographic shifts and high retirement rates are fuelling demand and an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more Canadians for rewarding careers in the skilled trades.

Today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, announced a new awareness campaign to highlight the value of a career in the skilled trades. For the first time, a series of experiential marketing events will be featured across Canada, including: Ottawa as a first stop, Montréal, Fredericton, Saint John, Toronto and Vancouver.

This new interactive and dynamic exhibit provides an experience where individuals can learn about different skilled trades careers, find in-demand trades in their province or territory and discover the steps it takes to become a skilled trades worker. The exhibit focuses on creating an in-person and immersive experience. This weekend the experiential marketing display will be set up in Ottawa at Lansdowne Park.

In Ontario, the construction industry was the second fastest growing industry with 9.2% growth from 2019 to 2022. This industry makes up a large percentage of employment for Red Seal trades in Canada. In the Ottawa region, there are several Red Seal trades that have solid employment outlooks over the 2022–2024 period. They include:

• cabinetmakers
•  carpenters
• cooks
• industrial mechanics (millwrights)
• tower crane operators
•  gasfitters – Class A
• gasfitters – Class B
• refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
• heavy duty equipment technicians
• industrial electricians
• landscape horticulturists

This campaign supports the efforts of the Government of Canada’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which aims to support a trades workforce that is skilled, inclusive, certified and productive. As part of the Strategy, the Government invests nearly $1 billion annually in grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, projects, and support for the Red Seal Program.