Prince Edward Island Employment Journey

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Eight good reasons to get into construction careers

The trades offer a lifetime career pathway with many options

Sam Sanderson, Manager of CAPEI.

Sam Sanderson, General Manager of the Construction Association of PEI (CAPEI) says once you enter the trades there are many choices and options that will continue on for a lifetime.

“The trades offer a land of opportunity here on PEI and around the world. Now more than ever before, there is no better time to get into construction than right now.”

In 2022, CAPEI was named Partner Association of the Year by the Canadian Construction Association. CAPEI was recognized for its programs that bolster the skills necessary in the industry.

Jobs in demand

Sam says Carpenters continue to be most in demand in the sector. “Roofers, Electricians, HVAC, Plumbers and Masons continue to be the key professions that will continue to be available.”

He notes that a specialized skill like masonry is in high demand as renovations at Province House, the West Block Parliamentary Building in Ottawa, and similar projects around the world are on the rise. “PEI is not the only jurisdiction in need of highly skilled tradespeople. It’s happening across Canada and around the world.”

Programs

One way to enter a trade on PEI is through CAPEI training programs such as Youth In Trades, the Newcomer and Ukrainian programs, and Discover Carpentry. The programs offer 70 percent hands-on training and 30 percent classroom time, including safety training.

All programs are held at the newly developed training centre in Charlottetown. CAPEI has a contract with the province to build 30 tiny homes by the spring of 2026 at the centre. “This partnership offers introductory trades training through building net-zero energy efficient affordable housing units for the province.

“Our industry and membership are offering to provide on-the-job placements to the participants of our programs. They see this as a way to hire their next great employee.”

Participants in the Newcomer and Ukrainian program get hands-on learning opportunities that create more employability skills. “The participants are going into project management, estimator roles, and general labour,” he says. “Some are working on their engineering or architectural certifications in Canada.”

All 11 participants of the most recent Youth in Trades cohort were fully employed after finishing the program. “Our work with youth has been very innovative.”

CAPEI offered the second cohort of its Discover Carpentry program this year. “It’s been a very successful program, due to our Training Centre, which offers hands-on training. Our participants are learning a lot of employability skills and are ready to go to work.”

The Discovery Carpentry program has two Red Seal Carpenters on staff. “The last program hosted 15 participants for eight weeks of classroom, construction training, and safety training, and then they went out on job placements for six weeks.

“Right from day one they all registered for Apprenticeship and started banking their hours toward a carpentry designation. Fourteen participants graduated, and one will return to our program next time round as the timing was not right. The 14 graduates started full-time work immediately.

“This spring and early summer, all the programs were running, which is great news for those looking to get into trades and for the employers in construction needing staff, and there are many.

“The graduates all have the opportunity for excellent competency-based skilled training, safety training, and other employability training while building energy efficient tiny homes. It is a win, win, win!”

Sam says CAPEI hopes for more funding and for the ability to keep expanding this training concept. “I am always looking to partner and to improve upon what we are doing to address the labour shortage.

“Also, we have brought virtual reality career exploration toolkits to several schools on PEI, and we hope to have them in every high school on the Island this year. There are 28 modules in these kits that students can explore.”

There is an opportunity for anybody and everybody who is interested in trades. “The biggest thing we are hearing from employers right now is the need for people who want to come to work every day and are dedicated to staying in the trades.”

All trades in the industry are in demand, including:

  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Roofing
  • Bricklaying/Masonry
  • Carpenters
  • Cabinet makers
  • Refrigeration (HVAC)
  • Truck drivers
  • Electrical power line and cable workers
  • Concrete specialists
  • Safety professionals
  • Project managers
  • Site managers
  • Architects
  • Engineers
  • Labourer
  • Floor Installers
  • Ironworkers and structural metal fabricators
  • Renovation managers
  • Environmental Technologists
  • Heavy equipment operators
  • Welders and related machine operators
  • Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
  • Bookkeepers
  • Accountants
  • IT Specialist

How does someone get started in the industry on PEI?

Those interested in a career in construction should contact CAPEI’s Human Resource Advisor, at hr@capei.ca or 902-368-3303.

Employment opportunities are posted regularly on www.workpei.ca and www.IslandBuilder.ca

Reach out to CAPEI to see what kind of careers are available. Sam identified a couple of pathways into the industry.

“You can take one of the post-secondary Industrial Technology and Trades program choices at Holland College. After graduation, work with an employer and register with the provincial Apprenticeship program to work toward professional certification in a designated skilled trade.

“You can also go directly into the industry and earn while you learn and register with the Apprenticeship program if you want to work toward professional certification in a designated skilled trade.”

Reach out to CAPEI to see what kind of careers are available. Sam identified a couple of pathways into the industry.

“You can take one of the post-secondary Industrial Technology and Trades program choices at Holland College. After graduation, work with an employer and register with the provincial Apprenticeship program to work toward professional certification in a designated skilled trade.

“You can also go directly into the industry and earn while you learn and register with the Apprenticeship program if you want to work toward professional certification in a designated skilled trade.”

PEI Construction news you can use:


Find your passion; find your skilled trade

Training available to new entrants and those already in the industry

The Construction Industry Training Centre in Charlottetown is now open and will be utilized for all CAPEI programs.

The facility will offer entry-level training only. “We encourage those who want to take further training to go through the apprenticeship accredited trades programs at Holland College,” says Sam.

“The new facility will help the industry dig deeper to help those interested in entering the field. We have offered programing for youth to expose them to a career in construction for almost 32 years and are now offering programs to newcomers. The new training centre opens up even more possibilities.

“There are so many potential opportunities,” says Sam. “We want to offer training opportunities to more people, so partnerships are important. We are working to partner with organizations to attract more newcomers, Indigenous peoples, women, and all ethnic backgrounds to make the construction industry an accessible and valued career choice. Construction knows no barriers and we need to create any opportunity we can.”

This new training location will offer hands-on experience and help people become more employable. “It will provide the industry with new staff who have more exposure and experience, and who will be more ready to take on entry-level jobs.

“Education is a factor in becoming a more inclusive workplace. Training has been available online through Buildforce Canada for many years and we are constantly promoting that to industry. We are working on possibly offering more training and making it available to our members.

“As an industry leader, CAPEI reaches out to our members to see where the shortfalls are and works to accommodate them. We aim to come up with new exciting and appealing ideas that both employers and employees can benefit from. We are all looking to find that next great employee or employer and to help them excel.”

There is an increasing need for continuous training to keep up with technology and standards in this industry, which is already so busy and in such high demand. “We are working with some partners to deliver virtual reality training. That is the way future training is going, and we hope to have more to announce on this in the near future.

Apprenticeship – earn while you learn

To enter the apprenticeship program, a person must:

  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Have a high school completion certificate or equivalent
  • Be working in one of PEI’s 58 designated trades with a suitable employer
  • Other eligibility and allowances may apply.

For more details, visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/apprenticeship-program

Trades education and training

Holland College offers a number of programs to gain employment in the construction industry. Visit www.hollandcollege.com/programs

UPEI’s Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering. Visit www.upei.ca/engineering

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For more information:

  • Construction Association of PEI, call 902-368-3303. Visit www.capei.ca.
  • For more about Buildforce Canada, visit www.buildforce.ca/en.
  • For more about the Canadian Home Builders Association-PEI, call 902-367-6125. Visit www.chba-pei.ca.

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