A recent CBC article discusses the high demand for skilled tradespeople in Nova Scotia, which is occurring at a time when many Nova Scotia Community College programs have lengthy waitlists. NSCC VP Academic Andrew Lafford said that the college is “exhausting all of our assets, all of our capabilities to try to close that gap and not have students sitting on the waitlist for too long,” but called meeting labour demands “a balancing game” where the college must be careful not to graduate more than the labour market needs. A recently released BuildForce Canada report anticipates growth in the NS construction sector between now and 2034, and also notes that projects today are being affected by the need for workers. Additionally, the report highlights the differences in skills and experiences between new and incoming trades workers and those retiring.
