Skills trade sector should reflect diversity of our communities: Opinion

In a recent editorial, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) President Denis Amyot reflects on Canada’s trades sector and argues that work must be done to ensure it reflects the diversity of the country’s communities. She calls attention to the nation’s shortage of skilled trades workers, asserting that the sector is challenged by associated stigmas, misconceptions, and limitations on access. Amyot maintains that a resolution lies in offering high-quality, hands-on training for underrepresented groups in the trades, like women and Indigenous peoples. She also identifies CICan’s Career Launcher Apprenticeships program as part of the solution, highlighting the initiative’s mandate to help employers in the trades hire first-year apprentices, especially those from equity-deserving groups.