Who’s Who of Industry Meet to Press for Trades Centre
Friday, April 13, 2012 @ 1:08 PM
Prince George, B.C. – The top executives from all facets of the resources sector in Northern B.C. huddled this morning to talk about how they can best address the shortage of skilled labour. While studies and reports indicate the shortage of trades people will hit within the next three years, Brian Fehr, of the BID Group of Companies says those in the field and the corporate offices say it is already a reality “Every person in that room understands that they have a big big shortage of tradesepeople, every person in that room said the same thing, ‘We’ve been looking for people we can’t get them into school, there’s nothing available until Christmas of next year, and then they have to go to Vancouver and it’s just the same problem that we’re all facing.”
Fehr’s company and Canfor have committed to developing the former Rustad sawmill site in Prince George to a trades training facility. The target for the first class is 2013, and while BID and Canfor are committed to pumping in millions of dollars to create the facility, there needs to be a financial commitment from the Province. While the timeline may seem ambitious, Fehr has confidence, “I make a living doing things on time, so I’m sure that if we say we are going to be ready in January we will be ready to some degree. This is a phased project but we can certainly have students there in 2013 and we need them today.”
It is no coincidence that this morning’s session is taking place just hours before the Premier’s dinner is set to be held in Prince George. In addition to the Premier, nearly the fill Provincial Cabinet will be attending. Fehr says many of the industry leaders who took part in the session today will be meeting with Cabinet Ministers this afternoon.
Fehr is not deterred by the recent provincial budget which offered no funding for this kind of project, “On the one hand we hear there is no money, but on the other hand we hear about this big problem(labour shortage) and so as industry, we believe we supply an awful lot of money to the government and we believe that maybe it’s time that we got some back.”
Fehr says the labour shortage is not just hurting existing companies and projects, but is resulting in missed opportunities as well, “I can tell you that Plateau Mills in Vanderhoof has lost 8 people in the last three months, in our company, we could do more work but we just can’t find the tradespeople” . That sentiment was echoed by Leo Rutledge of Douglas Lake equipment in Quesnel “ We are definitely missing opportunities. On my drive here, I passed no less than three signs advertising for field mechanics and those signs have been up for months. We run five branches in British Columbia and we have a skilled workforce shortage and there is not the training available in the Province to provide the needs of today let alone the ramped up needs of the future with the large projects that are coming on line. I think the Provincial Government should have seen this coming years ago and done something about it. I’m just thankful that Canfor and BID Group are stepping up and assisting the government in helping to cure what is a terminal illness in our industry.”
Apprenticeships take time, and Rutledge says even if the proposed training facility had come on stream two years ago, industry would still be playing catch up “If this school opened up tomorrow, we are still years away from curing the problem. An apprentice mechanic is a junior mechanic, and every hand on deck helps, but we are far from curing the problem and the longer we wait, the worse the problem is going to be.”
Fehr says once again, the region would be best served by a program that trains people in the north “One of the big issues we have to all the time, send our guys away, it costs more money they don’t feel comfortable, and far from a business perspective, once they go down there, there’s the chance we’re going to lose them to other companies in the lower mainland. So we would just as soon train in the north and work in the north.”
“People want to be home, they want to have families, they want to hunt and fish, and so we believe if we can train them in the north and have the jobs in the north, they will stay.”
He is also confident his colleagues at the other resource sector companies, whether it be mining, forestry, oil and gas, trucking and suppliers are willing to put some cash into the project to help make it a reality.
Comments
Kudos to Brian Fehr & Co. The Bid group has always promoted bringing up young
workers for apprenticeships.
The lumber side of the forest industry
doesn’t get a whole lot of sympathy from me. I worked in a mill for 21 years & in that entire time there were exactly 2
apprenticeships given. I know that this is not unique. Another aspect as to why they are losing skilled tradespeople is the can’t/won’t compete with wages & benefits that can be offered elsewhere. For me personally, I left because the lumber industry management model is stuck in the 1950’s for the most part. I got a better
paying job with an employer that treats me with respect & goes the extra mile when it
comes to the little things. It would take
absolute desperation before I would even consider going back.
” âWeâve been looking for people we canât get them into school, thereâs nothing available until Christmas of next year, and then they have to go to Vancouver and itâs just the same problem that weâre all facing.â
Another school isn’t the solution. Trades classrooms sit empty at CNC because there isn’t any money from government to put on the classes. CNC is short 2+ million for this year alone.
Use the classrooms that are here before throwing money at a new school. Fund the college we have. They can put on classes all summer long but need money to do it.
Canfor is more than willing to donate a site rather than clean it up. Buyer beware.
“I make a living doing things on time, so Iâm sure that if we say we are going to be ready in January we will be ready to some degree.”
That does not sound very good, does it?
One has a well defined objective and a specified timeline. If the defined obejctive is not met on time, then it is not done on time. Simple concept for anyone to understand.
When one reaches the deadline and a lesser version of the objective is completed, then one is not done on time.
In construction projects which are time sensitive, such as having a hotel open for a convention planned 2 years ahead of time, there is often a bonus for a contractor who is finished ahead of time and a penalty based on loss of business if the construction is finished late.
Of course, those building Sandman hotels are exempt … ;-)
“I think the Provincial Government should have seen this coming years ago and done something about it.”
So does this tell me that business people are not tuned into the business they are in? If business people do not know what is happening, how the heck should government?
I was under the impression that industrial associations of various kind have the role of supporting the industry members in making them aware of what is happening. Where is it not working?
Colleges are looking for that kind of imput for supporting applications to government for funding programs. The joint lobbying process should have started a long time ago.
Talk about being open for business. Is the College not open for business?
Training needs? How about having a session with the College every 6 months or 4 months to let each other know what is happening in the joint interest of training?
To me something is wrong here and I do not know who to point the finger at.
I do know one thing, the industrial organization I am involved with does not sit around waiting for government. It takes care of its own with help from government. The association keeps its eye on what is happening in the industry and government will fund when it agrees the need is there.
This whole report is far too general. How about coming up with details.
1. identify the nature of the work we are dealing with – what are the NOC numbers?
2. for each, how many are currently employed in the north?
3. what is the attrition rate
4. what is the typcial out movement and in movement?
5. what is the training capacity in the north
6. how many new trainees are coming on stream each year
7. how many are imported from outside the province every year
8. what is the expected shortfall per year over the next 10 years?
Assemble all those number, analyse them and then synthesize them back together to come out with a result. Then figure out how to solve the problem.
I do not see any of that.
There is no denying that there will be a shortage. But most of the money for training comes from governemt. No money no classes no matter how many schools they build.
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It would be interesting to see a report on the apprentice situation in the north. The company I work for should be ashamed to be sucking the govt to fund a training center when they refused to offer apprenticeships for years and years! Shame on them for making the baby and trying to get someone else to pay for it now.
I have the same questions as many posters here. I currently provide either a home for current budding tradespeople, or host them at the Sunday night dinner table as they are dating our daughters. There is a mix of welders, carpenters, electricians, mechanics and a millwright/macnhinist. Here is what I know:
1. The CTC program where young people stream into the various trades programs, in grades 11 and 12 of their high school career is a first rate program that has assisted at least a dozen young people that I can personally list. This is where you get your future tradespeople and I have been told directly, that in the past few years, that this program has been in jeporady (sp?) of funding. The CTC program is offered in partnership with CNC.
2. In several fields there have simply been NO AVAILABLE apprentice positions. Arguably, the companies whining now are some of the ones that have not invested in their own succession planning.
3. There ARE ABSOLUTELY companies in PG that will not or can not, pay the rate available that other companies outside of our community pay, which are also vying for these kids’ enthusiasm, penchant for hard work and good money, and availability.
4. For welders, millwrights, mechanics, carpenters – they have no problem gaining a seat in the programs already available in PG. Why not partner with the CTC program and CNC for other specialized areas, as the framework is already in place i.e. electrician?
5. Going without earned cash while in school. there seems to be no consideration for apprentices and perhaps there should not be. A couple of these kids were completely finished one course level and well into the next course for the following level, before EI kicked in. These guys have vehicle payments and insurance (ridiculous for young people – $3,500+ per year for a newer vehicle) payments, rent and bills, and if they don’t have free or negligible rent by still living at home – it is a tough go, to go several months (three months+)without income.
So, take from this what you will. Lack of trades is not a new thing; it has been in the media for years. I am flumoxed at our penchant for new, new, new as opposed to building on the resources already in place.
i have been told by a foreman/supervsor at the sandman that the family owners pay as they go— no financing.. such a novel idea!!
NoWay has it bang on.
I would add; CNC is well endowed with facilities and programs, and are already established in the training business, if there is a skilled labour shortage ( and there is ) why is CNC underfunded?
I can tell you first hand that the “looming” skilled trades shortage has been looming for well over ten years in some trades. Business people could see it coming. This is not a new problem, but why are they seemingly bypassing an already establishedtraining institution?
I would further add; What does the Bid group of companies stand to gain here?
Besides the supposed increase in available skilled labour I mean.
Clear thinking ( again, NoWay ) on the provision of the former Rustad site, does Canfor anticipate unloading a major liability and gaining a major write off in the process? Caveat emptor indeed.
A wise one once said: “follow the money”
metalman.
I think Canfor knows they have to off load the Rustad’s mills site liability before the BC liberals leave office, so the push is on.
Business is looking for the taxpayer to pay for training apprentices for personal financial gain
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