PAGE A8 – February 2009 – The GTA Construction Report
Students still picking trades in face of recession
LOUIS TAM – Special to The GTA Construction Report
construction, an industry
George Brown electrican apprentices John
where skill shortages and
Rauti, Ben Montgomery and Vito Marchese
Despite recent shocks to year-old, who recently predicted future job booms
pry their electrical skills during a class at
the job market, electrician started his apprenticeship offer a promise of job secu-
the college’s Casa Loma Campus.
apprentice Vito Marchese training at George Brown rity. PHOTO BY LOUIS TAM
isn’t blowing a fuse over his College, is one of many “There will always be a
future job prospects. young adults who are in- need for trades,” said
That’s because the 19- creasingly turning to jobs in Marchese. “You’ll always
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need lights and electrical Brown’s Faculty of Technol- when it does. The demand
plugs in every room (of a ogy, interest in construction (for construction jobs) is
house).” careers have been increasing going to be much bigger,”
NOTICE: Any previous problems connecting to the domain name have been corrected.
According to Nancy despite the current reces- she said.
Sherman, dean of George sion. By 2025, the Ontario
“We’re up by 10 per cent Chamber of Commerce esti-
compared to last year,” said mates that Ontario will be
Sherman of enrolment in the facing a shortage of about
college’s skilled trades and 360,000 skilled workers.
construction programs. “For One of those venturing
the past two Septembers we into the skill shortage in
have had a 300-person wait- construction is 23-year-old
ing list.” Andrew Alcamtado. With a
Although there may be a Refrigeration and Air Con-
drop in new construction ditioning (HRAC) diploma
projects, she said hard times already under his belt, he is
won’t change the need for finding that even as an ap-
plumbers, electricians or prentice, his HRAC skills
heating and air conditioning are keeping him warm
technicians to keep existing amidst cooling markets.
buildings running. “I was working 83 hours
For Patricio Ramirez, 30, in one week,” he said of his
that constant availability of work schedule over the hol-
work was a major selling idays. “In an 83-hour week I
point in his decision to pur- made about $1,300.”
sue an electrical apprentice- According to Rolf Pries-
ship. nitz, director of George
“Until they find how to Brown’s apprenticeship pro-
power lights without elec- gram, the current economic
tricity, I’ll always have a slowdown is also a great
job,” he said. “Whether you time for workers of all ages
own or rent a house, people to upgrade their job skills.
are always going to need “With all the talk of new
someone to do service work, infrastructure spending…
installations and renova- new subways, new light rail
tions.” transit lines – all these proj-
After the economy recov- ects that are being discussed
ers, Sherman predicts an aren’t happening right away.
even further boom in the But when they do, they are
construction trades. going to need people,” he
“We think the retirement said. “It’s a good time to get
of the baby boomers has not trained to be ready for con-
yet hit, but just imagine struction.”
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