Looking for skilled workers? The solution may be simpler than you might think

March 3, 2023 – Construction company owners are all suffering from the same problem: not enough people for the job.

More than 256,000 new apprentices are needed over the next five years to meet demand in Canada, with heavy-duty equipment technicians among those in the highest demand in Ontario and Quebec (according to a 2022 Canadian Apprenticeship Forum report).

Statistics show that demand for skilled labour continues to grow, and will continue to grow as retirement-age looms for these talented, highly skilled men who are in their late 50s and early 60s.

And that may be a part of the problem right there: a workforce that is overwhelmingly made up of men.

As a business owner, have you considered workers who are women?

Danielle Labrie, Group Publisher (Construction) for Annex Business Media and Master of Ceremonies for the Women in Construction virtual event on March 8, points out that there is a sizable pool of women ready and willing to work in construction.

They just need to know they are wanted and will be afforded the opportunities necessary to succeed on a level playing field.

“The construction sector faces a serious skilled labour shortage, and women can make up that shortfall,” says Labrie. “All that is needed is for companies to market themselves as being a great place to work for both women and men equally, and to ensure that issues of harassment and inequality are dealt with swiftly and fairly.”

The online Women in Construction event on March 8—back for a third year—examines the challenges of attracting women to the construction business, tackling harassment in the workplace, and key strategies to retaining women in the workforce.

“We’ve pulled together some of the key players, CEOs, trainers, legal experts and stakeholders in the construction sector to offer their expertise,” says Labrie. “We will discuss in depth the challenges faced by our industry and will be offering solutions to help businesses not only survive, but thrive.”

CLICK HERE to learn more and to register for this popular event.

Donald Horne is the editor of Crane & Hoist Canada, and the digital online editor for Rock to Road.