What are the skilled trades?
The skilled trades are a broad group of professions that require a specific, often hands-on, skill set. These skills are typically first learned as an apprentice before being honed as a journeyperson, and eventually as a Red Seal in the case of Red Seal-designated trades. This process is unlike other professional fields, where education and training are often attained at a university.
Some workers in the skilled trades still hold post-secondary education, but it is not generally required to enter the field. At each stage, from apprentice to journeyperson to Red Seal, the provincial or territorial licensing authority tests the worker’s skills and each successive level of skill commands higher pay.
There are over 300 designated skilled trades in Canada, with classification differing from province to province. The skilled trades include construction (electricians and carpenters), transportation (mechanics and equipment operators), manufacturing (metal fabrication and CNC operations), and service (cooks and hairstylists).
Canada’s skilled trade labour shortage
Canada’s growing population (and subsequent need for more housing and critical infrastructure) could lead to a nationwide shortage in the field. Even though the skilled trades offer excellent pay, continuous skills development, and steady work year-round, nearly everywhere in the country, the field often struggles to attract workers to replace those leaving the industry.
Several reasons may account for this. First, working in skilled trades is not easy. It can be physically demanding and requires a commitment to training and developing a skill set. Many trades work outside, which can be unpleasant for much of the year in Canada. There may also be a persistent stereotype that trade work isn’t as prestigious as other professions.
As a result, many people who graduate from high school may not consider working in the skilled trades. Given the growing labour shortage, some companies are changing their approach to broaden their appeal to these groups to garner a larger, more stable workforce.
Useful transferable skills for the trades
Beyond trade-specific skills, success in the field often depends on the various transferable skills that potential workers may have developed in other jobs.
For example, attention to detail is necessary in nearly every trade, since much of the work depends on precise measurement and dexterity. Communication skills can also be integral, as trades workers frequently communicate and coordinate their work with other trades, especially on large job sites with complex project plans.
Physical fitness and endurance are also valuable skills, given how demanding the work can be and the toll it can take on your body if you do not use proper physical form or routinely handle heavy or awkward objects.
Planning and project management skills can benefit most trades, especially when considering candidates that have transitioned away from hands-on work and move up to a foreperson or general contractor role. Many workers in the skilled trades may start their own companies and, therefore, require entrepreneurial and business skills such as financial forecasting, marketing, and customer service.
Organizations can help improve Canada’s skilled trades labour shortage by hiring from all groups of people, including women. With many incentives offered by the federal government and most provincial governments to hire women for skilled trades, you might consider bolstering your workforce by tapping into the unrealized potential of Canadian women in the skilled trades.
