Toronto, Ontario — Friday was World Youth Skills Day and this year the federal government is putting a priority on addressing the labour gap soon to be left by Canada’s rapidly retiring workforce.
Many believe that the best way to affect change is through the youth—that is why the United Nations declared July 15 to be World Youth Skills Day back in 2014.
In observance of the day, Minister of Official Languages and minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Ginette Petitpas Taylor issued a statement on Friday, acknowledging the unique challenges that today’s young workers face.
“COVID-19 disproportionately affected youth employment. In fact, positions held by young workers represented 28 percent of total jobs lost in Atlantic Canada during the pandemic,” said Petitpas Taylor.
“That is why the Government of Canada is focused on ensuring young people have the training, support, and skills they need to thrive and succeed in the workforce as they transition into their professional lives.”
In a separate statement regarding World Youth Skills Day, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien, and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, claimed that the federal government has opened up 140,000 summer jobs for Canadian youth.
The province of Nova Scotia recently made amendments to the general regulations of the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act to allow a single journeyperson to train two apprentices at a time, as opposed to one-on-one, in a move that the government feels will bring more young tradespeople into the workforce.
The government currently projects that 10,735 auto service technician jobs will open up over the period between 2021 and 2025.
