JOBLESS bricklayers are
being urged to dust off their trowels to help plug a
huge demand for brickies in western Canada.
More than 50 major Canadian construction companies
are travelling here later this month for their first
ever construction-specific jobs expo here.
They hope to hire experienced blocklayers, other
tradespeople and construction professionals for jobs
in provinces such as British Columbia (BC), Alberta,
Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
It is estimated that some 30,000 construction
workers will be needed to meet western Canada's
labour needs over the next decade due to a large
number of major mining, commercial and residential
projects currently underway or due to start.
One major mining company will generate some 2,500
jobs alone during peak construction of a
modernisation project at its aluminium plant in BC.
This will leave other regions in need of bricklayers
and other construction workers to replace them.
The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)
and the Saskatchewan Construction Association (SCA)
are for the first time teaming up for an Irish job
expo to help address their skilled labour shortages.
Traditionally the two regions would compete against
each other for trades people.
“Demand is really picking up in the province in a
variety of trades and in a variety of places, for
example, bricklaying, where hundreds had previously
submitted resumes, but there was no work,” said BCCA
vice-president, Abigail Fulton.
They are looking to Ireland because of the
availability of high quality skilled labour and a
willingness to work in Canada since the construction
industry collapse here.
The construction-specific expos will be held in
Belfast's Europa Hotel on October 31 and at Dublin's
Convention Centre on November 2.
CVs will be pre-screened to ensure the right trades
show up for the job opportunities available with
some interviews taking place in Dublin on November
3.
It is envisaged prospective Canadian employers will
also have access to a full database of Irish CVs
after the expos.
Immigration support will also be provided to assist
them in bringing their chosen Irish candidates to
Canada on either a temporary or permanent basis. |
