Skilled Trades
In the Media
Canada’s need for skilled trades workers will far outstrip boost from Ottawa’s new plan
A mix of retirements and projected economic growth mean Canada will need more than 1.4 million additional trades workers by 2033, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday, as he touted the new program at a trade union event in Gatineau.
April 30, 2026
32 minutes
Podcast
Season 6 | Episode 1
A Future Built on Skills
In this episode of the Future Skills Podcast, we tee up the new season by diving into Canada’s hinge moment for talent, productivity, and resilience...
Featuring: Jeremy Strachan, The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Noel Baldwin, J.P. Giroux, Wendy Cukier
In the Media
Tricia Williams discusses Skilled Trades on The Current with Matt Galloway
The federal government wants to address worker shortages in the skilled trades. At the spring economic update they announced a 5 year plan -- worth 6 billion dollars -- to help recruit, train and hire young people into the skilled trades
In the Media
FSC launches $5.5M ‘Replicate’ to scale proven trades training programs across Canada
With Canada facing a pending labour shortage — particularly in construction and the skilled trades — a new national initiative aims to accelerate solutions by expanding programs that have already proven successful.
Research
The Demand for Green Skills and the Impact on the Supply and Demand for Apprentices and Certified Journeypersons in the Canadian Economy
Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy is transforming the nature of work in the skilled trades. As industries such as energy, construction, manufacturing, and transportation, adopt cleaner technologies, the demand for certified tradespeople is sharply increasing.
Research
Skills for Infrastructure Innovation
This report examines global and Canadian infrastructure trends, highlights innovative practices (e.g., digitalization, green construction, modular methods, regulatory reforms) and analyzes the implications for the workforce and skills required in the coming years.
Research
Skilled Trades and Entrepreneurship: The Need for Business Competencies
This report set out to explore two questions: 1) To what extent should entrepreneurship be recognized as a critical dimension of the skilled trades, and 2) which competencies are most essential for entrepreneurs in the skilled trades to succeed?
Project
Leveraging Technology to Develop Modern Mining Skills
The Leveraging Technology to Develop Modern Mining Skills project, led by NORCAT with support from the Future Skills Centre, explored the potential for augmented reality and virtual reality to address labour and safety challenges in mining and construction. By incorporating simulations into core training programs, the project aimed to provide safer, more accessible practice environments for new workers while testing whether immersive tools could improve learning outcomes.
State of Skills
Resilient by Design: The Skills Canadians Need Now and for the Future
To build a resilient workforce that is able to respond to and adapt to changing labour markets, whether due to unpredictable disruptions or longer-term transitions, we need a range of training and upskilling pathways that equip people with the skills they need to enter, advance, transition and return to dynamic labour markets.