EVENTS - 2008

August 13 –TTMGO 34th Annual Golf Tournament sponsored by the Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Guild of Ontario

CARDINAL GOLF CLUB - Hwy.400 & Hwy. 9 , Kettleby

Surplus Funds donated to Charities

For details: Tel.: 905.660.5094 or email guild@ttmgo.org

June 15-20 - Canadian Standards Assoc. (CSA) Annual Conference

Westin Hotel, Calgary, AB

For Info:T-1-800-463-6727 or www.csa.ca

June 25-28 –RAIC Conference

(Royal Architectural Institute of Canada)

Fredericton, NB

For info:  www.oaa.on.ca

April 1-3 FUTURE BUILDING by Ontario Construction Secretariat

Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre

For info:   www.future building.ca

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NEWS

The Skilled Trades Shortage

It’s a worsening Canadian problem.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports that 48.7% of its members in 2003 said the shortage of qualified labour was the most important issue they faced.

Five years ago, a Conference Board of Canada survey indicated that 83% of the employers who responded, experienced shortages of skilled labour. Almost two-thirds believed the shortages would get worse over the following five to ten years. Ten percent of firms had widespread problems in recruitment; more than 70% had problems recruiting employees with particular skills.

All experts agree that the situation will get worse if nothing is done about it, now!

The problem is the aging population. Baby boomers are retiring. And there aren’t enough young people getting trained to take over. 

The first baby-boomers will reach the retirement age of 65 by 2012.

By 2015, the government estimates that almost half the workforce (48%) will be between the ages of 45 to 64. By 2020, most boomers will be in retirement and 17.9% of the population will be 65 or over, compared to 12.5% in 1999.

By 2026, Statistics Canada expects that more than half the population will be over the age of 43. As a result, by 2020, Canada could be short about 1 million workers.

The Conference Board of Canada survey in 2000 showed that shortages were a particular problem in sectors such as natural resources, construction and manufacturing. Skilled trades in high demand included industrial mechanics, electricians, building trades, steel and iron trades, automotive trades and welders.

The problem is already evident in some sectors.

In the construction industry, 12% of the workers were aged 55 and older. In 2002, a third of private sector managers surveyed by the Canadian Labour and Business Centre expected that 10-25% of their workforce would retire over the next five years.

Does a skilled trades shortage affect the whole country? Yes!  Economists say that a skilled trade worker shortage will definitely affect Canada's ability to compete in a global market in the future, which will affect our economic growth in the long-term.

The shortage of skilled trade workers also means that, as consumers, we may be paying more for skilled trade services, wait for these services to be available to us, and it may take longer for important infrastructure projects, such as roads and hospitals to be completed. 

Why aren't more young people choosing a career in skilled trades? A touchy topic.

The facts of career life today: skilled trades are still considered a second or third career choice.

An Ipsos-Reid survey in 2004 reported that university was the first choice of 67% of young people aged 13-24 and of 55% of adults, ahead of college and apprenticeship or trades programs.

Only 26% of young people aged 13-24 said they would be likely to consider a career in the skilled trades. There is also a lot of peer pressure facing young people. The survey found that young people say their friends and family do not encourage skilled trades careers.

Parents have a huge impact on the career decisions of their children. Most young people (59%) say their parents have not encouraged them to consider skilled trades as a career option.

Statistics indicate that schools have a very important role to play to encourage students about skilled trades career options. But most young people (72%) say their guidance counselors have not encouraged skilled trades. The survey also found that 37% of young people aged 13-24 said that their schools did not have readily available information on skilled trades careers.

For all the relevant information about a skilled trade career in marble, terrazzo and tile ---just click on the Trade School.

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