There are plenty of career opportunities in the skilled trades and a group of young people from across Toronto got a first-hand look at the possibilities at the BOLT Day of Discovery at Casa Loma Campus.
The BOLT (Building Opportunities for Life Today) Foundation was created by real estate development company Tridel to raise awareness about and access to job opportunities in the construction industry. BOLT and George Brown College’s Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies co-hosted the 2019 BOLT Day of Discovery on October 24.
Since 2011, the BOLT Foundation has funded 130 scholarships and awards for George Brown students with a value of $318,000.
Addressing the skilled trades shortage
More than two dozen young people started the day off at George Brown to meet current students and faculty and to tour the carpentry shop. Tridel Director and Executive Vice President Andrea DelZotto and Ontario’s Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton were there to meet the BOLT participants.
“It’s no secret that we’re in need of a new generation of tradespeople and industry professionals,”DelZotto said.
McNaughton, recently sworn into his new cabinet position, said he’s working on a plan to address the projected shortage of tradespeople in the province.
“In the construction trades alone, we face an estimated shortfall of 200,000 workers by the year 2032," he said. “That’s a great starting point for all of you in this room here mapping out your futures.”
After the morning’s session in George Brown’s carpentry shop, participants travelled to Tridel’s Avani construction site to see trades professionals in action.
Interested in a career in the trades? Learn about programs at our Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies.
