As Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Skills Canada – Nova Scotia Provincial Competition.
As skilled trade workers you are indispensable to Canada’s growth and to our economic success. By 2031, we expect more than 760,000 job openings in construction trades, including 400,000 from retirement alone.
By participating in this competition, you are on your way to building a career that offers faster entry into the labour market and access to stable, in-demand and rewarding jobs. Canada needs you, the next generation of tradespeople, certified and equipped with the green skills in the trades that are key to fighting climate change and leading us to a net-zero economy. With the number of housing construction projects needed across the country, now is your opportunity to share in Canada’s growth and prosperity.
A diverse and inclusive trades workforce helps us benefit from a larger pool of talent and helps foster innovation. We are investing so that all Canadians—including those from equity-deserving groups who face barriers, such as youth, women, newcomers, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and racialized individuals—get the opportunity to discover exciting and rewarding careers in the skilled trades.
Last year, we ran a national campaign to encourage more Canadians to learn about the skilled trades and to consider them as a first-choice career. Thousands of young people across the country visited the interactive exhibits and explored various skilled trades. Canada.ca/skilled-trades provides all the information you need to become an apprentice and succeed in the skilled trades, including how to access some of the nearly $1 billion in financial supports provided each year by the Government of Canada as you pursue your apprenticeship training.
You have a golden opportunity to lead Canada into a great century as the next generation of workers with the skills needed to support our shift to carbon neutrality. We will continue to collaborate with Skills/Compétences Canada to innovate, include and inspire young Canadians like yourselves to take a leadership role in building tomorrow’s green economy.
I wish you best of luck as you discover your passion!
