Gloomy prediction for N.L. construction industry over next 4 years

Tougher days may be ahead for the Newfoundland and Labrador construction industry if one national organization's forecast comes true. 

In Buildforce Canada's 2018–2027 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward report, it projects a contraction of up to 30 per cent in the industry's labour force over the next five years.

The forecast identifies a large number of aging workers who are set to retire, and many other tradespeople who are likely to seek out-of-province work when major projects like Muskrat Falls wind down.

That could mean that as many as 6,800 people will exit the N.L.  industry, said Buildforce Executive Director Bill Ferreira in an interview with CBC's On the Go.

He said the challenge over the next decade will be finding and training new construction workers in N.L., so that when new projects ramp up, skilled workers are available.

"To find, frankly, the time required to train them properly so that they can avoid a skills gap in the province's labour force in the future," said Ferreira.

Trades council optimistic

While the report suggests an uncertain future for the industry, Darin King, Executive Director of the N.L. Building Construction Trades Council is optimistic the industry will be able to weather the downturn.

"We've just come through a period of big employment levels with three megaprojects on the go at the one time," said King.

"That's unique for us. We haven't seen that before in this province to that degree."

He told CBC News that his organization and other stakeholders are already working to make sure the industry's labour force will bounce back.

"What we're focused on right now is identifying where the gaps are going to come in what particular trade and what skill set," said King. 

He said part of that involves going out to schools and preaching the appeals of a job in the trades to youth, and also by making sure that skilled workers are trained to step in when their older counterparts retire. 

"A lot of people are becoming more aware that there are very good careers in the the trades," he said.

"New people coming in find it a very rewarding career."

While the Buildforce report states that a decline in workers can be expected in the next four years, the organization still expects the labour force to return to near-2017 levels by 2027.