As the skilled trades shortage continues to hamstring Ontario’s construction sector, stakeholder associations and the provincial government have ramped up their efforts to recruit the next generation of workers.
But those efforts alone are not going to be enough, panellists discussing the matter at the recent Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) conference argued. Even with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development adding new elements to its $1.5-billion Skilled Trades Strategy seemingly weekly and other groups making recruitment a singular focus, the panellists said, the builders themselves need to become more active in outreach.
“As employers, we have to not just complain that we don’t have enough people and that the government is not doing enough,” said Luca Fiore, manager of estimating at AMICO Infrastructures. “I do believe that as constructors we have to provide input and make this better ourselves.”
Also weighing in during the recent session were Andrew Pariser, vice-president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario, and Jon Callegher, executive director of Job Talks. The moderator was Pina Aloia, business development manager of Heavy Civil Infrastructures.
Analysts have predicted Ontario will need 200,000 new skilled construction workers by 2030 but Fiore talked about what it’s like on the front lines right now.
“Sometimes you get the phone call that tomorrow we only have two people and we need 10. The biggest issue is how we’re now going to get the work done,” said Fiore.
Addressing recruiting outreach, Pariser and Fiore urged contractors to identify existing programs and get involved. Pariser recommended two organizations — Skills Ontario, which is expanding its programming all the time, and Building Opportunities for Life Today, a Toronto-based agency that offers financial support and more to youths.
Fiore is heavily involved with the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which introduces high schoolers to the trades. It’s a strong program, he said, but only as good as its contractor participation.
“Collectively, we have to spend our time in the high schools where we want the kids at the age of 14, 15, having them participating, have them coming to one of our jobsites and show how fantastic it is building a road and building a train station,” said Fiore.
Collegher said anyone who has a road construction business should contact their school board and ask for the OYAP co-ordinator to let them know they’re interested in taking on a student apprentice.
“Taking on more people and making a small contribution in aggregate can make a very big difference,” he said.
Pariser said job postings do not indicate clearly enough what skills are needed and what the work entails. If communication was improved, with postings saying specifically the firm needs workers with experience on a road grader, “I think we can make meaningful improvements,” he said.
Callegher suggested the construction sector is making fundamental errors when it comes to identifying potential new workers, with primitive research methods and poorly thought out messaging.
“Where are they on social media, on the Internet? And how can we reach them with a message?” he said.
“What are their behaviours? What activities are they participating in so we can reach them with our recruitment messaging?”
A strong message from the road sector to potential employees seeking meaning in their lives could be that without road construction in Ontario, there would be no connections, no electrical grid, no way for families to gather, said Callegher.
“That’s really significant…It’s by knowing that your co-workers, your companies in your industry are united behind that message, that can make a difference. We do not have that in the skilled trades broadly.”
In Callegher’s view, the industry does not spend enough on good research. It’s a crowded marketplace, with competing messages.
“Many people have different opinions,” he commented. “Marketing something requires unity on a message, a positive message in relation to retention. That means finding out why workers are unhappy, that requires interviewing, researching them, and listening to them in terms of their suggestions for improvement.”
The messaging could convey the benefits of staying physically active in a world where many people are increasingly “sitting in front of screens in the prime of their lives in their 20s and 30s,” he said.
Aloia identified another group that could be ripe for a career change.
“We have an older generation that is very active on social media,” she said. “That same older generation is crossing employment paths, they’re leaving that data entry job. How do we have them consider construction as a viable option?”
Follow the author on Twitter @DonWall_DCN.
Recent Comments