b'TRADES GAPSELLING THE SKILLED TRADESBY PATRICK MCMANUS,DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS& COMMUNICATIONS, OSWCAOSWCA acts to dismantle barriers, improve access to informationand lessen the stigma still attached to tradesT he alarm bells have beenThe industry outlook is strongWhat we are learning is that wage sounding for a longacross the province of Ontario.and job stability are no longer time. Weve all heardIt is a job that, for the mostthe sole drivers of the job market. the warnings aboutpart, cannot be outsourced orThere are a host of new factors Ontarios skilled tradeseliminated. Skills training isdriving career choice with the shortage. However, itsavailable and not cost prohibitive.incoming generation of entrants one thing to acknowl- Its a ticket to a strong and stableinto the labour market, including edge the threat to our companiesmiddle-class lifestyle.work-life balance, the appearance and economy and quite anotherof the prestige of the job and its to know what to do about it. TheYet, the number of new peoplestatus on Instagram. skills gap problem we are facing isentering the industry is declining, deeply complex and doesnt have athe number of people retiring isIts a brave new world, with new standard solution.now exceeding the new entrants,factors impacting employment and careers in the industrythat we have not yet appropriately Wage growth in the industry hascontinue to be affected by thewrapped our heads around. But far outstripped other industriesstigma of being second-rate orits critical we do so in short order over the last 15 years. Demanda back-up if all else fails. Itsto start addressing the demand for for workers is incredibly high.a paradox.new workers.28 H 2 OSWCAWinter/Spring 2020'