The numbers are in, and they are daunting.
According to the Conference Board of Canada, there will be a shortage of more than 360,000 skilled trade workers by 2025, and that number could increase to more than 500,000 by 2030.
To put this into perspective: the population of Oshawa is about 350,000, and Waterloo Region, 500,000. In other words, that's a lot of people that the skilled trades must attract to keep Ontario competitive.
Alan Reid, associate dean in the School of Skilled Trades at Oakville's Sheridan College says he is confident that the trades have a robust future in Ontario, but did admit there are still hurdles. As an example, Reid points to the global recession of 2008.
The North American manufacturing sector took a real beating and it led to a sense among the public that jobs like machinist and tool-and-dye maker would not be in demand in the future. This, says Reid, couldn't be further from the truth.
"Right now, the trades are very much in demand and the number one request from industries is for machinists and tool and dye makers. But some parents and teachers and guidance counselors are saying to students, 'No, don't follow that path.'"
The future of Ontario's economy depends on the province's tradespeople and the Ontario College of Trades, the province's member-driven regulatory body for the skilled trades, is doing everything it can to actively promote the trades.
So far, the effort has been robust.
The college is currently participating in programs like the Ontario Technological Skills Competition. This is a yearly event that brings together young people studying a skilled trade or technology to compete.
In addition, the college will also be reaching out by partnering with parenting and career experts
