SASKATOON, Oct. 20 /CNW/ - Parents, high school teachers and guidance counsellors are doing young people a disservice by promoting university educations above opportunities in skilled trades, says political economist and author Dr. John Crispo.
"Nobody in the system is giving kids the opportunity to see what lies ahead if they pursue a trade," said Dr. Crispo, the keynote speaker at Capture the Future, a Western Canadian Symposium on Aboriginal People in Trades being held this week in Saskatoon. Despite the Aboriginal focus of the symposium, he directed his comments to the population at large. "Most trades are rewarding, satisfying and income secure," he said. But instead of enrolling in a technical education, too many "people go to university and come out unemployed and unemployable."
The importance of raising awareness about opportunities in trades goes beyond personal fulfillment. Dr. Crispo, author of several books on free trade and global economic issues, said that ensuring the country's workforce has an adequate supply of skilled tradespeople is part of the competitive challenge Canada faces.
More than 100 senior government, industry, union and Aboriginal community leaders from across Western Canada, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are attending Capture the Future. The two-and-a-half-day symposium is showcasing best practices and will launch the development of further successful strategies.
"The symposium is designed to highlight and define strategic efforts to increase the participation of Aboriginal people in the area of trades," says Joan Greyeyes, president of the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, a symposium co-sponsor. "This is the perfect venue to nurture and respect the burgeoning demographic of the future work force."
"There is a tremendous opportunity at hand," says Bob Guthrie, CEO of the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, a conference co-sponsor. "We have a young and growing Aboriginal population in Western Canada. At the same time, our skilled trades workforce is aging. Now is the time for industry, Aboriginal organizations, governments and trainers to develop strategies and forge partnerships to capture this opportunity."
Supported by the federal government's Western Economic Diversification Canada, Capture the Future is co-sponsored by:
- Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada (AHRDCC). Established in 1998 AHRDCC is Canada's Aboriginal Sector Council and a pillar of the Aboriginal Human Resource Development Strategy. Working collectively through strategic public and private sector partnerships, it develops innovative employment solutions for Aboriginal people. Visit www.ahrdcc.com.
- Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (ATCC). The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission administers apprenticeship programs for 49 designated trades and approximately 5,200 registered apprentices in Saskatchewan. Visit www.saskapprenticeship.gov.sk.ca.
- Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SITT). The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies was established in 1976. It is the only completely First Nation owned and governed technical training institute in Canada. The institute provides training in the trades, technology, management and community services. SIIT operates under its own provincial legislation that has enabled reciprocity and transferability between numerous colleges, universities and professional institutions across the country. Approximately 2,000 students enrol in SIIT programs on an annual basis. Over 8,000 students have graduated from the institute since its inception. Visit www.siit.sk.ca.
- Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST). SIAST is Saskatchewan's primary public institution for post-secondary technical education and skills training, recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise and innovation. More than 12,000 students are registered in SIAST programs, which touch every sector of the economy; additionally, the organization draws almost 29,000 individual course registrations. It operates campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and provides a number of courses and programs through distance education. Visit www.goSIAST.com.
For additional information about Capture the Future, phone 306-683-3663 or visit www.siast.sk.ca/capture2004.
Canadian wages on the rise
By Sunny Freeman
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Fri, Aug 27 2010
Canadians have been bringing home more money each week than they did during the economic downturn, when jobs and workers´ hours were slashed, but economists warn a return to recession in the United States could derail rising incomes.
Unemployment hits 15-year high in Ontario
By Madhavi Acharya, Tom Yew, Rita Trichur
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Sat, Jun 6 2009
Overall, Ontario was walloped by a net loss of 60,000 positions, bringing the province´s running tally of employment losses to 234,000 since the labour market peaked last October.
Employment insurance numbers jumped 10% in March
By CBC News
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Tue, May 26 2009
The number of Canadians collecting regular employment insurance benefits grew by 65,300, or more than 10 per cent, in March, marking the biggest monthly increase since the job market began to deteriorate in October.
Rising Gas Prices Guzzle Take-Home Pay
By Maura Pallera, Salary.com
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Thu, Aug 14 2008
This summer, Americans were paying, on average, $4.09 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline to fuel the vehicles they rely on to get to and from work everyday. This represents an increase of $1.14 over the same time last year.
Immigrant employment rising, StatsCan report says
By Eric Beauchesne, Canwest News Service
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Wed, May 14 2008
OTTAWA - Immigrant employment, seen as a way to offset projected labour shortages, increased sharply last year in Canada, easily outpacing that of native-born workers, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday.
