B.C. Construction Association heading back to Ireland for recruits

Facing a severe shortage in skilled tradespeople, the B.C. Construction Association is making its second recruiting trip to Ireland this year. It will be looking to hire 600 workers, and entice hundreds more, to uproot to Western Canada for jobs.

The non-profit organization which acts as the voice of British Columbia’s construction industry will represent about 30 employers when it hosts the upcoming Western Canada Construction Expo in Belfast on Oct. 31 and Dublin on Nov.2. The first trip this year took place in March.

Recruiting efforts will focus on finding experienced skilled construction workers for more than 50 different lines of work ranging from architects to engineers, to crane operators and draftswomen.

According to the B.C. provincial government, trades will account for 153,000 of the more than one million jobs opening up over the next decade in the province as a result of retirement and economic growth.

Several major Canadian media outlets also reported that even if 20 per cent of B.C. high school students graduating within the next three years decided to enter the trades there would still be a labour shortage.