Apprenticeships are the construction industry’s primary tool for developing a skilled workforce. But although the industry “offers tremendous opportunities for personal and financial success,” says Sapp, “an entrenched bias continues to steer young people toward university education and away from the skilled trades.”
To combat this bias, Merit Ontario’s Workforce Development Department collaborates with high school guidance counsellors, educators, and community leaders to showcase construction as a viable and fulfilling career choice and simplifies the apprenticeship process, offering guidance and support for both employers and apprentices.
As well as clearing up misinformation and smoothing out glitches for apprentices, Merit notifies them about what they need to do to become licensed, and keeps them informed about financial incentives and other support.
It smooths the way for employers too, by collecting required documents and completing apprenticeship registration through the Skilled Trades Ontario portal “so that employers can focus on other aspects of their business,” explains Glenda Rahn, director of workforce development.
Connecting employers directly with skilled talent
Merit’s online job board for construction has proven to be a highly effective tool for connecting job-seekers with employers seeking qualified professionals.
To ensure a steady flow of candidates, Merit’s recruitment and apprentice team scans all major job boards for candidates and attends career fairs, job fairs, and local college events.
The team then funnels qualified job seekers through the Merit Job Board portal for review by employers. On request, the Merit team will even phone screen candidates to save the employer time, says Rahn.
Ensuring proper training
Given the changing nature of the construction industry, training and skills development are crucial for ensuring future-ready employees. To that end, Merit’s training arm has developed e-learning and custom training programs catering to construction industry employers of all sizes.
“We have many dozens of courses available free of charge on safety, interpersonal skills, leadership, and general skills awareness in the construction industry,” says Troy Heath, director of operations in training. “And the courses are updated and adjusted based on current trends in the marketplace with feedback from several hundred member companies.”
Since safety is of paramount importance in the construction industry, for example, Merit offers easy-to-use online modules to train employees in everything from heat stress to trips and falls. “The modules have both visual and audible content to cover all learning patterns for the end user,” says Heath.
In the end, Sapp believes, Merit’s combination of programs, advocacy and industry expertise help to solve the kinds of big-picture strategic problems that no single employer in the construction industry could address. And that, he says, helps us all because it “allows employers to focus on what they do best … which is building Ontario.”
